Hope
by Readqueen15
Summary: Edward and Emmett stumble upon a vampire while hunting. Broken and traumatized the girl is terrified of everything and everyone. Can Edward be the one to help her heal or will she succumb to the darkness?
1. Chapter 1

" _Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters."- Rick Riordan_

I never envisioned that this quote could hold so much truth until now. I never imagined that humans would be the monsters and vampires would be the saviors. I never imagined how much one girl could change my life in an instant.

000

"Is she dead?" Emmett asks. I roll my eyes at his stupidity. Anyone could see that she was alive! Emmett wasn't the smartest person on the block. She was obviously a vampire. But he did have a point though. This girl did look dead. Her body was seriously lacking color and she was naked. There was a collar wrapped tightly around her neck and it looked as if she had been starved for years. She was trying to hide behind her long mahogany hair but that did little to help. I could see why she would be afraid of Emmett with his big muscular build that this was a fear that ran even deeper. Her big black eyes stared at us terrified.

Emmett went to step forward but a growl resonated from her chest in warning. I yanked him back before she could do anything else. I had never seen anything like this before. If we went any closer it could be fatal.

Emmett and I had been hunting when we stumbled upon the girl. The animals were spooked and ran off. We didn't realize she was an actual person at first. The girl was so still. I knew something wasn't right. I could feel it in my bones.

"Maybe we should call Carlisle. He'll know what to do." Emmett said. I was impressed. He did have his smart moments once in a while. I berated myself for not thinking of that before.

I dialed Carlisle's number and he picked up before it reached the third ring. I was talking before Carlisle could even say hello.

"Carlisle there is a girl. A vampire to be specific. She is terrified of us and it looks like she has been abused. She won't let us near her. You need to help us." I was speaking rapidly. Carlisle could hear the urgency in my voice and didn't think to question it.

" _Edward, Emmett, listen to me when I say this. Do not touch her or try to go near her. I will be there shortly._ " We hung up the phone and now all we could do was wait.

It had not even been half an hour before Carlisle showed up. His steps slowed and he stared at us with wide eyes. He motioned for us to stay back and cautiously walked toward the girl. Her growls started up again and she sounded feral. Like a dying animal. In a flash, Carlisle had her scooped up in her arms. She was thrashing and nipping at anything she could get her teeth on.

"Edward you stay in the front of me and Emmett you stay in the back. We are going to bring her back to the house. We can help her more there. I don't think she is going to give us an easy journey back."

000

Alice was waiting on the porch for us when we showed up. Her eyes shone with worry.

"Bring her to Edward's room." Was all she said.

I stared at her with wide eyes. Why my room? Why not the basement? I thought it was safer but didn't question her reasoning. Alice always had a reason for everything.

We followed Emmett and Carlisle upstairs. The girl was placed on the floor and as soon as she was out of Carlisle's arms, she scurried away to the furthest tightest place possible. Under the couch. Her hissing and growling increased at the sight of the now four of us.

I felt a pain in my heart at the sight of her. Who would do this to a person? What has made her so terrified? I wanted to brutally kill whoever hurt her.

"Let's all go downstairs for now. We can let her get comfortable. The others will be home soon and we need to have an explanation." Carlisle said.

Reluctantly I closed and locked the door behind me. The whimpers decreased and soon it was silent. I followed Alice, Emmett, and Carlisle downstairs.

A couple of hours had passed and Jasper, Rosalie, and Esme were back. They had been helping Esme collect items for work.

We were waiting in the living room. They all noticed a change immediately as the walked into the house. Jasper could feel the pain the girl was feeling. It was like a punch in the gut.

"What's going on?" Esme asked as they entered the room.

I spoke up, " while Emmett and I were hunting we ran into a vampire. She was barely alive by the looks of it. The girl was terrified of us and looks to have been starved. We brought her back here. She is in my room. I have never seen anything like this before."

Esme gasped and Rosalie was trying not to look concerned but I could tell she was.

"Jasper, can you try to calm her down?" I asked. He nodded and a moment later calmness spread throughout the room and floated upstairs. I hoped that would make her more comfortable. But I have a feeling nothing would help her right now.

"Do you think she will get better soon?" Rosalie asked.

Carlisle spoke, " I believe she will be able to heal at least physically but I am more concerned about her mental status. The way she behaves and interacts is that of a young child. Not a vicious vampire. I am not even sure she understands what we are saying. We are going to have to tread lightly to figure out what has happened to her."

I couldn't hear this anymore. I couldn't believe that she was permanently damaged. I was determined to help her.

000

A cry sounded from upstairs and that stopped all conversation. She knew there were more vampires. Carlisle and I shared a knowing look and head upstairs.

We softly entered the room to find the girl on her side. She was cradling her knees into her chest and short gasps escaped her mouth when she saw us. You could see everything. From her rib cage to the dark circles underneath her eyes. What had happened to her?

I start to walk forward and a hiss sounds from her mouth. I stop abruptly and put my hands in the air. I hoped I looked submissive enough.

"Edward maybe you want to move away," Carlisle said. I shook my head at him. I was determined to make this girl see that we meant no harm.

I took a few more steps and her growling increases. It's labored and weak but it is still a warning enough. She is pushing herself against the wall trying to hide from me. I hate the fact that I am the cause of her pain at the moment. Her eyes never leave me. She's watching my every move.

Everything I do is slow and hesitant. I don't want to startle her even further. I sit down once I am a few feet from her.

Carlisle is anxiously standing by the door watching our every move; prepared to step in if she attacks.

I slowly reach my hand out to touch her but she tries to bite me. I quickly pull my hand away. I would try that later.

"I am not going to hurt you" I whisper. She cowered away at the sound of my voice. There was nothing to indicate that she actually understood what I was saying.

"My name is Edward." I pointed to myself. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. This is good. She is paying attention.

"What is your name?" I point to her. The girl didn't answer. I wasn't expecting one. She just stared at me.

"You are safe now. There is no reason to be afraid." All she did was stare. How was I going to make her understand?

"What has happened to you?" I wonder allowed.


	2. Chapter 2

Carlisle was thinking the same thing I was; this girl needs blood. I don't know how long she has gone without feeding but it has taken a toll on her. She was in no position to hunt herself so we would have to improvise.

"I can head to the hospital and take some blood bags. Nobody would notice they were gone. The sooner we get them to her the better. Maybe then she will start to open up." Carlisle said. I prayed to God this would work. I wasn't sure what else to do.

It was morning and we had sat here all night. Neither of us moving. The girl's trembling had stopped but the fear was still very much present. She made no sign that she would be coming out from under the couch anytime soon. I had tried speaking to her but it was useless. There was still no answer. All she did was stare up at me with her wide doe-like eyes.

There was a knock on the door. It was Alice. She gave me a soft smile before entering the room. I didn't know whether to be relieved or angry. The sight of the girl was overwhelming. How could she still be alive after everything she has been through? It was a miracle we found her when we did. She could have been even more injured.

Soft growls erupted from her chest which died down into whimpers as Alice came into sight. She cast wary glances at Alice. I didn't know what to do to help. Alice came and sat right beside me.

I understood where she was coming from. Arriving in a foreign place with strangers. You were bound to be scared; who wouldn't be? But the way her shoulders tensed and the way her body was angled suggested more. The girl was bracing herself for something. No against something. Alice and I were both situated right in front of her, blocking the exit to the doorway.

"It's ok sweetie. Nobody is going to hurt you here. You are safe." Alice repeated what I had already said so many times. But still, the girl was terrified. I sighed in frustration. How would we make her see we meant no harm?

She was picking at her nails, clearly stressed, when there was a knock on the door. The girl stilled and waited to see what would happen. Carlisle walked in with a cooler. Inside was full of blood bags. I looked at him in disbelief. Why so many?

I read Carlisle's mind, " _From the way she looks right now it seems to have been a long time since she has fed. I thought we should have a lot in case she wanted more."_ I nodded in agreement. I should have thought of that.

I looked back the girl squished under the couch and what I saw broke my heart. Her gaze was solely focused on the blood but yet she didn't go for it. She gripped the sides of her arms keeping herself grounded. Forcing herself not to run to the blood. The look in her eyes was pure hunger. Her growls were no longer scared but desperate. Desperate for blood. This was the most control I had ever seen. I was baffled.

Ever so slowly, Carlisle passed the first bag of blood to me. I opened the bag and held it out to the girl. Her eyes kept switching from my face to my hand. Obviously suspicious of my intentions but at the same time yearning for the blood.

"It's ok. You can have it. Here- take it." I held it out closer. She was practically drooling at the sight of it. The girl was still hesitant.

"Nothing bad will happen. This is for you." I whispered toward the girl. "Please don't be afraid." My voice was filled with pain as Alice and Carlisle watched from behind me.

So slowly, the girl reached her arm out and took the bag from my hand; slightly shivering as her hand touched mine. The girl put the bag up to her lips and started to drink. She moaned in delight as the blood rushed down her throat. For a brief second, I saw peace in her eyes. But in a flash, it was gone.

"Hey, do you want another one?" I said. Her eyes flashed to mine and looked at me in disbelief. Instead of giving it to her, I put the bag of blood in front of my feet. If she wanted it then she would have to come out from under the couch.

She eyed the red liquid with much consideration trying to decide if the blood was really worth leaving her safe haven. The remainder of the blood was left on her lips and she licked it up, savoring the taste. I could see she wanted more. I knew that the one bag of blood wouldn't suffice her needs. I knew she would need more. The question was what would she leave her safe zone to have it?

It felt like time had stopped. I couldn't believe my own eyes. As slow as could be the girl shifted to her knees and with much courage crawled out from under the couch. Nobody said a word as she came out into the open. We were all watching in shock. We didn't want to scare her back under the couch again.

With her dirty hands, she took the blood and drank it in less than a second. Just as I had predicted.

"Good girl. You are doing so good." I said softly. A flicker across her face showed what I believed was recognition. "Do you understand me?" I said eagerly. But there was no answer. She took another bag from my hand and drank it up greedily.

Each bag I moved further and further away, forcing her to venture further into the room. The girl didn't even seem to notice anymore. All she cared about was getting the blood. Something told me that this was the most blood she had ever had. The look on her face was pure joy and you could already see her frame was starting to fill in. She was getting her color back and the girl's eyes were turning to a bright red. It was uplifting to see.

The bags were finally finished and she sighed in content. This was the most interactive I had seen her. I hoped it stayed this way.

Alice slowly came forward and kneeled down in front of the girl. I smiled to myself as I read her thoughts.

"You liked that didn't you?" Alice said with a smile. The girl looked at Alice cautiously and then back to me. Carlisle had retreated to the door and was silently watching from there.

I smiled at her encouragingly and slowly reached to touch her hand. She tensed, obviously thinking she would be hurt but nothing happened. I gently rubbed her hand, whispering, " _you're alright. You're being such a good girl."_ Those were words she seemed to recognize.

The girl seemed to get more comfortable and shyly leaned into my touch. Everything she did ceased to amaze me. She was one unpredictable girl. Though there was something about the girl that just wasn't right. The way she crawled across the room, the collar, her lack of clothes, lack of understanding, her behavior, and so much more. Only one thing could come to my mind. She was behaving like an animal.

Alice had the same thoughts and caught her breath. We would have to explain to Carlisle later. Alice started to speak in her head.

" _This is now more complicated than we thought. Whoever had her before has done serious damage. I didn't think this was possible but it does make sense. We just have to take this step by step."_ It distressed us deeply to think someone could be abused so badly to the point that this kind of damage could occur.

Alice started speaking, "Sweetie, I bet you are feeling pretty icky right now. Do you want to have a bath? I bet that would make you feel better." The girls head shot up and cocked it the side. It was as if she were a confused puppy. This was the most she had interacted with us and we finally seemed to be getting somewhere.

Alice pointed to the bathroom. "Bath. You can wash yourself. It's a bath."

Alice was mimicking the actions with her hand. I was internally laughing, it was just making the girl more confused. She looked to me with a curious expression and tugged on my hand. It was the action of a small child and it just seemed to make my heart melt even more.

"Yes, sweetie? What is it?" I asked kindly. Her eyes shifted to the bathroom and back to me. I quickly figured out where she wanted to go.

"A bath. You want to have a bath?" She looked at me and Alice and just pointed to the bathroom again. She may not understand us but she was determined to get her point across.

I stood carefully so she could see everything I was doing. I reached forward and she became tense again. I had thought we were past this. It wasn't her fault for though. I slipped my hands around her and lifted her up easily. I could feel her breath coming out in short gasps. I put her head on my chest and pet her hair. This seemed to calm her down.

I hated that I had to treat her like an actual child but this seemed to be the only way to communicate with her. Alice followed us silently to the bathroom.

The girl's eyes widened at the sight of the bathtub and struggled in my arms to get down. I let her go and once on the ground, she crawled to the tub.

Alice had gone to turn the water on and it came jetting out. The girl jumped at the sudden noise.

"It's alright sweetie. It's just water." Alice said. The girl stared at it as if it were something magical. I had an inkling feeling that she had never felt or seen the water before. Everything was new to her.

"See it feels nice." Alice took some water and gently poured some on her hand. The girl gasped in surprise and stared at Alice in wonder. I would have smiled at this interaction if it wasn't so concerning. It just wasn't normal behavior.

Alice helped her in and immediately she relaxed. The girl seemed to like the bath. Her hands drifted across the water in wonder as Alice got different shampoos and put them on the edge of the tub for her.

"Sweetie, do you want to choose one of these shampoos to try? They smell very nice." Alice said.

The girl just stared at her as if she were speaking a foreign language. Her eyes briefly drifted to the shampoo's in mild curiosity before going back to playing with the water.

Alice just chooses the strawberry scented. The girl didn't seem to have a preference. Or even understand what was going on.

The girls were preoccupied with the bath and I was just standing here, staring at them like a creeper. As much as it pained me to do, I decided I should go and come back later. I was almost out the door when I hear whimpers sound from the girl.

I turn around and she is staring at me with big eyes. It looks like she is about to start crying.

"It's alright. Edward can stay right here. He's not going anywhere." Alice calmly said.

That was right. I wasn't going anywhere. I would stay here as long as she needed me.


	3. Chapter 3

The bath ended much to the girl's disappointment. Anyone could see how much it calmed her. The collar sat on the edge of the sink. She had been afraid when Alice tried to touch it but eventually let her take it off. Alice wrapped the girl in a towel and went to pick her up. She didn't shy away from our touch as much anymore. This was good progress. I would have let her walk but I wasn't entirely sure she could. Since yesterday the girl had made no indication that she could stand up on her own.

Alice hugged her close to her body and carried her back into my room.

"Ok sweetie, we are going to sit you right here while I get some things."

But the girl did not like the couch. Her eyes immediately widened in fear and her body instantly stilled. She slid herself down to the floor and sat on the ground. Small whimpers sounded from her mouth. What was she doing? Why wouldn't she sit on the couch? Did she not know how? Or was she never allowed to? I didn't know what to think.

"Oh sweetie, what have you been through?" The girl instantly looked at me as Alice quickly moved about gathering items. Alice was uncommonly quiet. I knew this was taking a toll on her. It was taking a toll on all of us. Alice gathered her thoughts together and came back over.

"We are going to get you into some soft clothes. Wouldn't that be nice?" Alice spoke soothingly.

The girl didn't answer. She just stared at the items in Alice's arms. She didn't seem to know what they were or what to do with them.

"Please God, no. Tell me you have worn clothes before." I whispered. But I already knew the answer. It sickened me to the core. How far did her captor's take their fantasy? How long had it taken to break this girl?

The girl didn't answer, as expected. Instead, she just sat still as a board when the purple shirt was placed over her head. She immediately relaxed when her sight was restored. The bottoms, Alice had to put on with her sitting down. It was a struggle but Alice managed to do it. The girl moved around in the clothes pulling at them, trying to understand their purpose. Alice chuckled.

"The clothes keep you warm, you won't have to be naked all the time now. I know it feels weird but you will get used to them, trust me." The girl just listened to her voice as she played with the hems of the shirt.

The girl wasn't fazed by being unclothed. It was her normal and was what she was used to. Even if the girl didn't care, this was the least we could do for her. She should be allowed some modesty in her life. It just wasn't fair what she has been through. Whatever it was.

"Sweetie, would you like to come downstairs? There is someone who would like to talk to you. Do you remember Carlisle?" Alice asked. The girl didn't seem to acknowledge her words and just kept playing with the shirt; admiring it's pretty color.

I picked the girl up as Alice lead the way out. She leaned her head against my chest and closed her eyes as we walked down the stairs. My voice seemed to calm her.

"Carlisle is our father for all intents and purposes. He is a very smart wise man. He has been on this planet for far longer than all of us here. I think you will like him once you get to know him. You can trust him, Carlisle would never hurt you. You are safe now."

We entered the into the living room to find Carlisle sitting on the couch reading a book. He put it down as we walked over. The girl immediately tensed in my arms at the sight of another vampire. Her breathing was getting heavier and I knew the growls would soon start. She wasn't in the best state of mind when she met him before, so this was her first formal introduction to him.

"It's ok sweetie. It's going to be alright." I whispered softly into her ear. The girl managed to untense but still gripped onto my shirt with her tiny hands. The fear was still very present. I continued to whisper sweet things into her ear as we moved to the couch. She eyed the couch in fear so I decided it was best to sit on the rug. Alice put a pillow on the ground for the girl to kneel on. It would be better than the hard surface. I tried to set her down but she wouldn't let go. If she didn't want to be put down then I wouldn't. I would always be here for her.

I sat on the floor with her in my lap. Carlisle sat across from us and watched our interaction. I could hear his thoughts and knew he had already pinpointed several red flags. I am sure there are many more to come. There was an assortment of items spread out on the coffee table. I could only assume they were for the girl in my lap.

"Hello sweetie, I am Carlisle. Can you tell me your name?" She briefly looked up at him and then went back to hiding her face in my chest. He was making her nervous.

"Sweetie hey," I said as I tried to get her attention. "Can you look at Carlisle?" She looks in the direction I was pointing at and stared at him.

He wasn't offended at all by her actions. Being a doctor, he was used to working with all types of people and knew it was nothing personal. All he wanted to do was help her get better. He hoped that maybe she would view him as the father figure the way the rest of us did. Someone to look up to and have advice from. Someone who they could go to for anything and confide in. Carlisle knew that was far-fetched but still hoped.

The items on the table caught the girl's attention. Her eyes wandered to them in fascination. There was a drawing pad with colored pencils.

"Do you want to look at it? You can play with them." Carlisle said.

The girl crawled out of my lap, forgetting where she was. She reached for the drawing pad and colored pencils. This was the first time she actually took some initiative.

Carlisle watched in deep interest as she tried to open the package. This was her informal exam. We didn't know how she would react if we told her Carlisle was a doctor so we decided that he would examine at least her mental capabilities discreetly. He was already having concerns.

The girl bit her lip and her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she tried to open the package of pencils. She groaned as she couldn't get the package open. But she didn't give up. She was determined. I wanted to step in and help her but Carlisle had warned me not to. We had to let her sort out these kind of problems on her own. He wanted to see if she was capable of doing it by herself.

The more she struggled, the more frustrated she got. She was close to the point of breaking down. I couldn't watch this anymore. It was too cruel to do this to her.

"Would you like some help?" Carlisle asked.

The girl growled in annoyance and chucked the package at Carlisle. He caught it in midair. I think we were all a little shocked out her outburst. She hadn't gotten angry yet. She got scared and nervous but not angry. This was a new emotion. I didn't know what to do. Lucky for me, Carlisle stepped in.

"Sweetheart no. You do not throw things." Carlisle's voice was firm but at the same time calm. He wasn't angry but she needed to understand what she had done wrong. This was the only way she would ever learn.

The instant she heard the word _no_ she started to panic. That was one word she definitely recognized. Her head turned every which way trying to find an escape but Alice, Carlisle and I were positioned in front of every doorway. Her body started to tremble and her eyes were wide with freight. She didn't know where to go so she turned to me.

Before I could move a muscle she was in my lap. She gripped me with a force I had never experienced before and tried to hide away from Carlisle. I wrapped my arms around her body and spoke to her softly.

"It's ok. Nobody is going to hurt you. You are safe here. I will always be by your side. You have nothing to fear. You are not in trouble." I kept repeating those words in hopes she would calm down. I don't think she understood the words we were speaking but I think she understood the tone of our voice. That was the way she communicated. By the tone of your voice, she could understand what type of situation it was.

"Do you want to get the colored pencils? I can help you open them." I softly said.

I was pointing toward it and she crawled over to get them. I opened them for her as she grabbed the sketchbook.

I could see her eyes glaze over with excitement as she saw all the empty pages and colorful pencils. Did she know how to draw before she became a vampire? Or was she just excited to try something new?

She took a pencil and started to draw. I didn't know how long we sat there but I know it had been more than an hour. I didn't know what she was drawing at first. There were lines going every which way and splashes of color being spread throughout the paper. At first, it looked like a whole jumbled mess until it wasn't. I closer and realized it was a face. With an even greater shock, I realized it was my face.


	4. Chapter 4

She had a talent. A kind of talent you were born with. It was as if she could tell her whole life story through drawing. She got lost in the process and all her over worries and fears seemed to go away. This made me wonder even more. Who was this mystery girl? Where did she come from? Who would take such a sweet innocent girl and hurt them? These questions clouded my mind. I felt such a connection to her. I knew we were mates. But she didn't. I don't even know where to begin. How would I explain the concept of mates to her? How could I make her understand? I would just have to deal with it when the time came.

" _Edward."_ Alice said in her mind. I looked up to her. " _The other's will home any second now. I just wanted to prepare you."_ I nodded to her gratefully.

Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Esme had left to give us some privacy. We felt that the girl would be more comfortable coming down stairs with less vampires in the house. But now they were coming back. I wanted the girl to meet them. The sooner the better.

Just as Alice predicted the front door opened. Their chatter died down as they entered the house but there thoughts were still loud and clear.

The girl immediately stopped what she was doing and rushed to my lap. Her eyes became black in fear as the four new vampires walked into the room. I rubbed her shoulders trying to calm her down but I knew something else was bothering her. The girl instantly went quiet and stared at Jasper in shock.

Jasper was frozen to the spot as he looked at the girl in my arms. Alice had moved to his side but he wouldn't snap out of it. Everyone was looking between the girl and Jasper. Did they know each other?

"Sweetie what's wrong?" My eyes kept flickering back and forth between the two of them. I wanted to know what was happening. Jasper was blocking me from reading his mind which was very frustrating. What was so bad that he didn't want me to know? I would never judge him for anything he did in the past. We all had our rough times. But I had a feeling it had something to do with this girl. The air in the room became thick with tension and everyone wanted to know what was going on. Jasper finally snapped out of his trance and began muttering words under his breath.

" _No no no. This can't be happening. This can't be her."_ What was he talking about? How did they know each other?

"Jasper baby, do you know the girl?" Alice asked. Her eyes were swimming with curiosity but at the same time concern.

"It's Bella." Was all he whispered.

 **Jasper's Pov:**

It couldn't be her. It just couldn't. I wanted to believe it was not her but I would only be lying to myself. It was Bella, in the flesh and blood.. At the time she was so fierce and would not give up. No matter how hard they beat her down, she would just rise right back up. Bella wasn't afraid of anyone and no one could tell her what to do. Bella was one of the few souls on this planet that would willingly sacrificed herself and her own needs for another person's. She was one of the most kind hearted people I had ever met; and my biggest regret.

I am surprised she is still alive. I would have thought that they would have killed her a long time ago. Over the past decades I had learned to deal with the fact that she was dead and there was no coming back. I never forgave myself for leaving her behind. I had moved on with my life while she sat there in that cage; all time frozen.

I never told Alice or any of the Cullens about her or that time because I couldn't stand to remember it. The pain we went through was worse than the newborn armies. That was saying a lot. The burden of leaving her behind had clung to me and never left my mind.

I can still remember the look on her face as I escaped. How her eyes glistened with venom as she encouraged me to run. Bella knew there was no hope for herself. She had been here for so long and it wouldn't be much longer until she succumbed to their wishes. She was too weak and slow and would only slow both of us down. I had pleaded with her to come with me but she refused. Bella said she was going to stay. If she left another vampire would just be taken and put in her place. Bella couldn't let that happen to anyone else. She was too kind of a person for that. It was something I greatly admired but at the same time detested about her.

I promised Bella that I would be back for her someday, but we both knew that it wasn't possible. That that would be the last time we saw each other. Until now.

Bella was different then I remembered. That spark that was ignited in her eyes was put out and now all that remains is the damage. The girl that never backed down was now cowering away in Edward's arms as she looked at all of us terrified.

For a split second I second I saw a hint of recognition in her eyes but it was gone. I could feel her confusion and uncertainty. Bella knew that she knew me from somewhere but just didn't remember. It sent a pain through my heart. The way that she was curled up on Edward's lap was the same thing she used to do to me. I was envious. I used to be her person. I used to be the one she would curl up on and cry and scream to when they had beaten her hard. I was the one who told her, never to give up hope.

I loved her and still do. Not as a mate but as an older brother. Although Bella would deny it, she looked up to me. We had formed this connection in the short amount of time we had together and it broke my heart that she refused to escape with me. I wanted us to stay together and start a life together in this big lonely world, but no. Bella just had to play the savior. That angered me so much. How come she couldn't have thought of me that one time? Did she ever think she was hurting me by staying behind? All I wanted for her was to have a happy and safe life away from those horrid people and that place. All I wanted for her was to feel loved and cared for. Was that such a hard thing to wish for?

Up until now I had believed there was no God for our kind. We were monsters damned to this life for eternity. There was no way God could love monsters. We were soulless creatures who killed to survive. In my darkest days when I prayed for Bella to be saved no one came. I begged and hoped every day there would be an answer but there never was. But maybe now, maybe there was a God. Maybe there was some good still left in me.

The way Bella acted was that of a scared little kitten but I knew I could change that. I knew she would get better. She had to get better.

This was all my fault anyway. The guilt I had felt all these years was now catching up to me. I held it in for so long. But now Bella was back. Now I could finally make up to her for all the mistakes I had made. Now I could finally be here for her like I had promised all those years ago.


	5. Chapter 5 (new)

_Chapter 5: Jasper's Pov_

 _Flashback:_

 _Pain. That's all I felt. Pain. I was bombarded with an onslaught of emotions. That is all Bella felt these days. Pain._

 _We were no longer kept together. They thought it was too dangerous, so we were separated. Separate cages. Separate rooms. But I still felt the pain. The never ending pain._

 _Bella tried to hide the pain but it was impossible. I could hear her screams. I felt everything. I wanted to help her. I wanted to take away her pain so badly. But I couldn't. I couldn't let them find out about my gift. They would take me away. Take me away from Bella. Then there would be no one to protect her. No one to be there for her. That couldn't happen. It couldn't._

 _Bella tried to be strong. She tried to pretend she wasn't hurt. Pretend she wasn't terrified. But I knew. I always knew. She was slipping away. Every day another piece of her was lost. She didn't even realize what was happening, it started so subtly._

 _Though today was a good day. Once a month we were allowed to see each other. We were allowed to interact. These were the days we looked forward to. The reason we hadn't given up yet. Our only motive to keep living. If it weren't for these days, I would have given up a long time ago. But I had to hold on. For Bella. She needed me. I was all she had. She was all I had._

 _A noise happened from the other side of the room and I abruptly looked up. It was them. With Bella. When I saw her I wanted to break out of this prison and slowly and brutally kill them. I wanted them to have a painful death. But I knew that would do no good. It would only cause more problems. That was the last thing we needed._

 _She was being led across the room with a leash around her neck on her hands and knees. There was a far away look in her eyes and she didn't speak up. She didn't fight back. She didn't even growl. She just kept her eyes on the ground._

 _This was abnormal. She always had something to say. Always had a reason to fight back. But she didn't do anything. She didn't say anything. She let them humiliate her like this. She couldn't have given up? Could she? No she couldn't have. I refused to believe it. The fire was still in her. It hadn't been extinguished yet. I knew I had to help her. I would help build her back up, piece by piece. No matter how long it took. I had only been in this place for a little more than a year but Bella had been here for many years before. I don't know how long but it has definitely been a while. It was amazing how she hadn't been broken yet._

 _They stopped in front of my cage. I sat back waiting for them to open it. I knew the drill by now. Always wait for them to tell you to come out. If you tried to exit on your own, you would regret it. There would be punishment. Harsh punishment that you never wanted to experience. I shuddered thinking of it._

 _They unlocked the door and ordered me out. I crawled out of the cramped cage and stopped at their feet. Chains were linked from the collars to the walls so we couldn't escape. There was only so far we could move. We couldn't even reach the door. We were really just animals to them. They left the room finally leaving us with some privacy._

 _"Bella." I said. I hadn't spoken in over a month. We were never allowed to speak. Our purpose was to be seen and not heard. This was the only time we could communicate. If we kept our voices low enough, they would not be able to hear us._

 _She looked up at me but didn't say a word. Her head cautiously turned toward the door, checking to see if anyone was there. There was not. She sighed in relief but still didn't speak. This was very unlike her. I was getting concerned._

 _"Bella, please speak to me. Please just say something." I begged. I needed to hear that pretty voice. I needed to hear something. It was as if she was in another world. Nothing happening around seemed to be processing through her. I sighed in frustration. What did they do to her? I already knew the answer though._

 _I reached out to touch her but she flinched away in fear. She never flinched away from me. I was shocked at her reaction._

 _"I am not going to hurt you. You know that. You are safe with me." I whispered. My voice seemed to gain her attention and she looked at me with unblinking eyes. I slowly held my arms out and she looked at me suspiciously. I could practically see the gears turning in her head as she tried to make a decision. This was painful for me. Bella should never have to be afraid of me. I didn't know what more I could do to help. At this moment all I could do was be here for her._

 _She seemed to finally decide I was safe and crawled into my arms. Her tiny hands gripped onto me and she snuggled her face into my chest. I rubbed her back and whispered calming things into her ear. I didn't know how long we had together so I had to make the most of it. Being together right now was treat enough. This was the one thing we couldn't lose. I would make sure of it._

 _I don't know how long we sat there for but Bella started to groan. Her shoulders hunched and she started trembling in my lap. She seemed to be more aware now. This was a humongous relief. I thought she was going to stay like this. She bounced back though quicker than the last time._

 _"Are you ok?" I asked. I didn't know what her response would be. She acted it off as everything being good but I knew that was far from the truth._

 _Bella looked up at me. Her eyes shone with confusing and concern. She didn't know what had just happened._

 _"You blanked out for I don't know how many hours. I thought you weren't going to come back. It's been happening more and more over the past few months. I know you don't want to believe it but you are breaking. They are breaking you down bit by bit, destroying everything about you. You can not let them do this to you. You have to fight their lies." I stated._

 _I could see the look of shock on her face but she refused to acknowledge my words. I knew it wouldn't be this easy. Bella was a very stubborn girl._

 _"I'm not breaking. They have not broken me yet and they never will. I am going to make sure of it." Her voice was filled with annoyance but also a hint of concern. I briefly smiled at her. I missed this spunk. This was who she really was. I didn't want that to go away. I wouldn't survive._

 _We sat together like this for a while longer until we heard the sound of footsteps. We looked at each other knowing that this would be the last time we saw each other for a while. We broke apart and Bella went back to being the submissive animal they wanted her to be. All I did was go numb. I didn't want to feel the pain she was feeling. I didn't want to be aware of what was going on. I just wanted to go to my happy place. I was safe there. Nobody was the boss of me. Nobody could hit me. Nobody could ruin my life. It was perfect. I never wanted it to end._

 _The people walked in and unhooked us from the walls. I was forced back in the cage as Bella was lead out of the room. I watched after her for as long as I could until the door slammed shut and the sound of locks turning took place. I was all alone again._

 _Bored out of my mind. Thirsty beyond belief. I wondered when I would be fed next. They fed us randomly. Sometimes it would be weeks before we had blood or sometimes months. You never knew. I was already so weak and I didn't want to get any more. I wanted to escape. I needed to escape. If I ever wanted to have a life for me and Bella then we would have to leave soon. I didn't know how much longer Bella had. She was right on the edge of giving in. i couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let her give up all her hard work_


	6. Chapter 6

"It was 1942 when they caught me. I was in Memphis, Tennessee. I had just been traveling around trying to find someplace to settle. I was so thirsty and hadn't feed in days. I was running through the woods when I saw him. There was this russet skin, black haired boy. I was thirsty and I ignored all the warning signs about the situation. If I had been paying more attention to my surroundings I could have escaped. I charged for him, ignoring everything around me but I never made it. I was tackled to the ground and before I could fight back, I felt a prick. After that everything went black and I don't remember anything before waking up in the cage. I was naked and collared like a dog. I felt myself going crazy. For days on end I would be alone and no one would come to visit me. The thirst got worse and I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker. I had lost concept of time and wasn't aware of much anymore. I didn't know who these people were or what they wanted. I was so confused. I didn't do anything wrong to them I thought. What could they possibly have against me?" I was stunned. It must had been so hard for Jasper to keep this inside all these years. I was partially upset that he didn't think he could trust us enough to tell us.

"Finally, I think it was a couple months later, people finally came. I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or not. The two men walked into the room with blood bags in their hands. My eyes were solely focused on the dark liquid as I squirmed around in pain. I was starving and needed blood that instant. I couldn't wait any longer. I tried and tried to break out of the cage but it was impossible. I was too weak. The men stood there and laughed at me. My pain was amusing to them and they loved to humiliate me." We were all visibly shaken by his story and wanted revenge. Nobody should have to go through that torture.

"A girl came in a little while later. It was Bella. She crawled along the floor and glared at my captors in anger. I could feel right then that she wouldn't give in to their fantasy that easily. Bella tried to come closer but one of the men stopped her. His name was Sam Uley, I later learned and the man with him was Paul Lahote. They would turn out to be my greatest fear. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of them." Jasper stopped speaking suddenly. His eyes are filled with pain as he has memory after memory. This is too hard to watch. I don't know what to say to him. We have never been very affectionate with each other. I thought it was best if we left to give him some privacy. It seemed he needed some alone time with Alice.

I went to get up but Bella wouldn't come. She usually followed me everywhere. Bella just sat on the floor staring at Jasper. I tried to pick her up but she tried nipped at my hand.

"Ok sweetie, ok. I won't pick you up." I held my hands up in defense as she calmed down. I waited to see if she would follow me but her eyes never left Jasper. The rest of the family waited anxiously to see what she would do. Jasper started to move towards her but she backed away.

"It's ok Bella. I just want to say hi. Is that alright?" Jasper asked. He talked to Bella as if she were an adult and not a mentally challenged person. That made me wonder, was I doing good or harm by treating her like a child. Should I be doing more? This was the first time I had ever dealt with something like this and I didn't know what to do. I don't think anyone truly knew what to do.

Bella just stared at Jasper but let him come closer. She didn't run away when he touched her hand. She did growl. But it was so soft it could almost count as a purr. She didn't seem to mind Jasper touching her.

He took her hand in his and rubbed it in soft circles. Her form began to relax and she settled next to him. Alice and Jasper talked to her while I decided I needed some air. She was preoccupied at the moment so she probably wouldn't notice me gone.

I slipped out the back door and took off into the woods. I stopped in the middle of a clearing. It was a field filled with an assortment of flowers. The meadow light up with color as the sun shined down. I looked around in awe. This was a rare site, there was never much sun in Forks.

My skin illuminated with sparkles as the sun hit my skin and warmed my body. I layed down in the middle of the field and just relaxed. I needed this time just for myself. Everything that had happened in the past few days was so overwhelming. My life had changed so much in an instant in more ways I could ever think. I know I am falling in love with her, but the damage that has been done to the girl almost seems unrepairable. How can I love someone who doesn't know how to love back? How can I be in a relationship?

As much as I wanted to scream it from the rooftops, I couldn't. I am not even sure she will ever even talk. She has only made noises, not actual words. It gives me hope though that she did used to speak. Maybe in time it will come back to her. I just have to be patient.

I stayed at the meadow until the sun started to go down. Laying here I don't have to worry about anything. I can be free. Free from all the stress. Free from all the pain. A part of me wants to stay forever but the larger part knows I need to get back to Bella. I can't be without her. She is my life now.

The way her hair falls down her back and the way her eyebrows furrowed in confusion makes her even more interesting and beautiful. She like a puzzle I need to solve. She intrigues me and pulls me in. It would be impossible to escape her now. Bella was like my brand of heroine. Everything about her pulled me in. I couldn't stop myself.

I knew it would be unethical to be romantic with her now because of her certain state but I can't help but imagine what are lives could have been like if we had met under different situations. Like if Jasper told us about her in the very beginning and we saved her. Would we still have been mates? Would she be in alright condition now? What would our lives be like? These questions won't leave my mind.

I know it is not far to blame Jasper for keeping Bella a secret but if he had told us sooner, we could have saved her. We could have saved Bella all this pain and suffering. We could have been together. We could have been happy. But that wasn't the case. She stayed and suffered everyday with nobody there to save her. No one to keep her hope alive. Her spirit. I want to be the one to ignite that flame within her again. I want to be the savior.


	7. Chapter 7

Screams. I heard screams. Ear splitting screams. I widened my eyes in horror. It was Bella. What had happened? She was fine when I left. The screams never stopped. They just seemed to be getting louder and louder. Everyone was in chaos. I hadn't been gone long. I never should have left. This was all my fault.

I ran faster and faster through the forest until I reached the house. I stopped abruptly when I walked through the door. It was a disaster. The couch was flipped on its side. The glass vase that sat on the shelf was in pieces. Hell, the shelf was in pieces. The coffee table had somehow landed across the room and here were holes in the wall. It looked as if someone had ran a bulldozer across the room. There wasn't one thing that wasn't broken. There was so much destruction. I was astonished. The only people in the room were Jasper and Carlisle with Bella. They sat in the middle of the destruction.

"See Edward is right here. He wouldn't leave you." Jasper whispered to her. Bella's eyes met mine. She was on the ground cradling her knees to her chest and looked up at me with big scared eyes.

As soon as I walked forward, she crawled to my side. She hugged my leg and wouldn't let go. I could feel a faint trembling as I sat down next to her. As fast as she could, Bella scrambled onto my lap and held me tightly. I calmly pet her head as her whimpers started. She buried her head in my chest and started to sob. They were heart- wrenching sobs. I held her as tight as I could as she screamed into my chest. The pain was unbearable. Had my leaving really affected her this much? I didn't realize she cared this much for me.

"It's ok sweetheart, i'm here. I won't leave you again." I didn't know what else to say. This was the only thing I could do to reassure her.

Why did I have to leave in the first place? I should have just sucked up all my emotions. None of this would have happened if I hadn't been so weak. So selfish. I should only be thinking of Bella she is my number one priority. Everything revolves around her now. I can't just go off and do my own thing. There is a living person that needs constant care now.

" _Edward, it isn't your fault."_ Jasper said in his mind. I scoffed at his statement. All of this was my fault.

" _You could not have known. None of us could have. Alice and I were just talking to her when all of a sudden she realized you weren't here anymore. I couldn't calm her down at all. She was feeling pain and abandonment and she lashed out. She broke everything in her reach and looked about ready to kill someone. Carlisle and I had managed to get her to stop breaking stuff. This was a normal reaction. I was expecting this to happen sometime. You can not blame yourself."_ i listened to Jasper's words and still couldn't help to contradict his statement. Everything was my fault. I didn't see how much she needed me. I should have seen it. But I was blinded by my feelings for her.

I don't know how long we sat here for but I didn't mind. As long as I had her in my arms, I was ok. She had seemed to calm down but didn't want to get up. She rested in my lap as I hummed to her a piece from Bach. She seemed to like my singing. I would have to do this more often. The others had all gone to other parts of the house to give us privacy which I greatly appreciated. A bunch of people watching her was the last thing she needed.

I rubbed her back as she started to get restless. She squirmed and wriggled around as she tried to get comfortable. I thought maybe she would like it better in our room. I went to slide her off my lap but her breath hitched. She looked at me with scared eyes. She thought I was going to leave her again.

"I am not leaving you again. I told you that. I am just moving us to a different room." I spoke in a sweet tone and she just stared at me. I picked her up and she grabbed onto my neck. She rested her face on me as I began our descent up the stairs. Her body was as light as a feather. She seemed to weigh nothing at all but I knew for a fact she was one of the strongest girls there was. She survived everything she went through. Now it was only the matter of healing.

I entered my room and sat on the couch with her on my lap. She took in the surroundings but her eyes stopped on the bookcase. She looked curious but didn't get up to look. Maybe she would like to hear a story I thought. That could relax her. I reached over to the shelf and grabbed a book I thought she would enjoy, _Alice in Wonderland._ this was one of Esme's old children's book and it had pictures she could look at. It may have been a children's book but right now it was the closest thing to her skill level.

Bella's hands lightly touch the cover as she inspects the book with curiosity. I open to the front page and start to read the words. She seems entranced with the pictures and all the different colors. The way she gasps and the smile that sneaks across her face each time we turn the page fills me with hope. Maybe she isn't as broken as we thought she was.

She smiles up at me as we finish the book. Her eyes are wide with excitement. She takes the book from my hands and opens it back to the first page. My eyes widen in surprise. I guess she really liked the book. I would have to find other books to keep her occupied. Maybe at some point I could finally teach her to read, though that would require her to speak. I know she has spoken before but it is only a question of if she will ever remember. '

"Do you want me to read it again?" I ask. I don't expect an answer. Instead she just jams her tiny finger on the page trying to gain my attention. I chuckle at her eagerness. If she loves books this much, than she would love Barnes and Noble. Bella would go crazy in the store. I would love to see that. "Ok let's read the book again." I say.

We reread the book another five times. If it were possible for me to be exhausted, I would be. Bella just loves this book. Every page she would stop and examine the pictures over and over again. I don't know what she was looking for but she wouldn't give up. Though a new thing happened when I read the book, her hands would lightly ghost along the words on the page. I'm not sure though if she actually knew what I was saying. But other than that, this was a big improvement. This proved that maybe she could learn to speak again someday. Not all hope was lost.

I finish for the fifth time and Bella is clutching her throat. There is a look of pain and thirst in her eyes and I can immediately tell she has been holding back. I am filled with worry. How long has she been in pain? Why didn't Jasper feel her emotions? Why didn't she tell me?

"Bella, sweetie, are you thirsty?" I ask. I sound angry but I am just concerned. I can't stand to see her in pain. Bella's pain is my pain. Her eyes instantly meet mine and all I see is fear. She starts to tremble and goes to kneel in front of me. I don't understand what she is doing. She takes off her shirt and goes to remove her bra. She is kneeling in front of me submissive and I can tell she is terrified. I am shocked by her actions. I stare in horror as I see all the old scars covering her body. To imagine the type of pain she went through getting these injuries makes me shudder in disgust. Bella is just sitting there, waiting, stone still. I finally realize what she is doing. She thinks I am going to punish her. She must have taken my tone the wrong way. She thinks I am angry with her.

"Bella, I need you to stop this right now. I am not angry with you. I could never be. I am just concerned because you must be in pain. All I want to do is make you feel better." I firmly but softly say. I think she got my message because she looked back up at me. Her expression is confused. Bella is used to abuse. That's what she has endured the past few centuries. It sickens me that she is so used to it, that she requests punishment. Nobody should have to do that. Nobody. I take her arm and guide her back to me. She doesn't seem to understand what is happening. I think she finally relaxed when she realized that I wouldn't hurt her. She slowly comes back to my lap and clings to me for dear life.

Alice is at the door in a second with the blood. She leaves it by the table and heads out. Bella eyes the blood for a second. I softly prompt her take it but she is still hesitant. Eventually she takes the blood from my hands and drinks it down. She can not help but moan in delight. Bella is already looking better. I smile as I hand her another bag and she drinks it down even faster. It seems she doesn't care anymore, she just wants blood. I smile to her as she seems to calm down. I pet her head and she leans into my chest.

"I love you, sweet girl." I whisper to her. I don't know why but I felt this was the perfect time to say it. She sits up and stares at me with narrowed eyes. Did I say something wrong? Did she understand me?

Before I can say anything else, she does something that stuns me. "Ed-ward." she says. I don't know what to say. The name was broken apart but she obviously spoke. I am so happy I want to scream. I don't know how to react. "Ed- ward." She says again and jabs me in the chest. I take her hand in mine and kiss it all over. I am so overwhelmed I can't believe she has spoken.

"Yes, Bella, Yes, I am Edward. That's me." I say right above a whisper. She nodded her head along with my voice. She just keeps staring at me. I think she even shocked herself by speaking. I take her hand and point it towards herself. "Bella." I say slowly. She has to know her name. She goes to point at me but I redirect her. "You: Bella, Me: Edward." Her eyes light up as I say this and it is as if a light bulb went off in her head. "Bel-la." She says slowly as she points to herself. I nod my head in conformation. "Ed-ward." She says as she points back to me. Yes my sweet girl, I am Edward and you are Bella.


	8. Chapter 8

**Bella's Pov:**

I am an animal. I am just a stupid pet. I don't deserve any happiness. I have been bad and I'm not allowed to be free. I am supposed to suffer. My kind has done bad things and I am responsible. Everything that goes wrong is my fault… at least that is what I am told.

I rebelled at first. When I was taken I fought back and didn't behave. I didn't understand what I had done wrong. It's not like I wanted this life for myself. It just happened. But _they_ didn't seem to see that. _They_ hated me and I didn't know why. I was determined to escape and hurt them like they hurt me but as time passed that idea seemed to become more of a dream than a reality. I had just about given up. It was easier to endure all the pain if I didn't remember. It was easier if I didn't remember my family. My friends. My life. My parents hurt the most to think about. I couldn't help but feel and react. It was easy to obey but I couldn't ignore the hurt and pain. That was too hard. For a while everything changed. A new person came and turned my life around. He was my savior. For once I felt there was hope. It lasted for a while too. I don't think I would have survived for so long without him.

But then one day he was gone. One day he escaped and never came back. As much as I wanted to go, I knew I was needed here. _They_ would have found some other poor innocent person to abuse. I couldn't let that happen. It would be cruel and unfair to subject another person to this life. I wasn't a monster. Jasper leaving was the hardest thing. He promised he would save me someday but we both knew that it wouldn't happen. This would be the last time we would see each other. He soon left and I was all alone. _They_ were furious. I was punished like never before. There was never one moment of peace. Finally I couldn't stand the pain anymore. Everyday I felt myself fading further and further away and I couldn't control it. Before I knew it Jasper became just another lost memory.

I lost all concept of time. I finally submitted to their wishes. No longer did I think coherent thoughts. I was just a stupid inferior animal, reacting purely on instinct. I was never given treats or praised. Everything I did in their eyes was wrong and was punished for every little thing. Hunger, pain, fear, and misery became my norm. I didn't question them anymore. I didn't fight anymore. I just did what I was commanded to do.

I was never to speak, never to do anything without a command. They treated me like I wasn't even a person. I was just an object to them. I was stuffed into an animal crate whenever we traveled, always kept collared leashed, never given clothes. I wasn't even allowed on the furniture. It became a thing I feared. Even the tiniest look at the bed wasn't allowed. I quickly learned not to anger them. All I had to do was survive. Which had proved to be a great challenge.

I don't even know how I ended up in the woods. One minute I was in my cage and the next I was laying on the freezing ground. I don't know how I got there or who brought me. I was terrified. I didn't know where I was or how to get back to the house. I was so weak that I couldn't even stand up if I tried. Not that I would ever try. It's not allowed. I don't even know how to walk. All I knew was that I had to get back before _they_ found me. There would be major punishment. I didn't want to make it any worse. I don't know how long I layed

there until I was found.

Everything was now different. There was no hitting. There was no shouting. It was almost peaceful. I got many treats. My favorites were _Alice in Wonderland,_ bathtime, and Edward. He was my Edward and no one could take him away. I wouldn't let anyone. Since I was brought here I have broken so many rules yet learned so much. It was unreal.

My new name is Bella. It's what Jasper called me. I don't know how I know him but he seemed to know me. I didn't remember him yet I wasn't afraid of him as I was afraid of the others. I didn't know why. This scared me. It was nice having a name though. _They_ called me girl or pet. I didn't like those names but they were all I knew. I never had any say. I could never choose my own name. But now I had one and I liked it. It made me feel special. I had never felt like that before.

Edward made feel extra special. He was scary at first but he spoke very quietly to me and he had a soft touch. I liked his touch. It wasn't like _their_ touch. Instead of hurting me, he made me feel loved and cared for. I didn't know that this was what it felt like. I wanted to remember it for as long as I could. I didn't like it when he went away. He abandoned me and left me all alone when I needed him. I realized that I would always need him. He made me feel scary things I had never felt before. Because of Edward I spoke. I broke one of the most important rules. I don't know why I did it. I swear it will be the end of me if _they_ ever find out. I know _they_ will take me away. _They_ will take me away from Edward. I don't know if I will be able to survive the next time. I am to weak. All I want is a break. All I want is for Edward to read _Alice in Wonderland_ to me and sit in his arms. That is what I like about him. He doesn't push me away. He lets me sit with him for hours. He let's me cry and be sad. Edward is nothing like Jacob.

Jacob Black is my master. He is my owner. He is the one who broke me. I just couldn't take the pain any longer. He said that if I submitted to him, he would stop hurting me. Jacob said all the pain would be worth it in the end. I believed him. I still do believe him. I was being trained to be a good pet. I was bad before he said and had to be taught a lesson. I wouldn't be set free until I had been cured from my disease. _They_ wanted to cure me from my vampirism. All vampires did was cause destruction and I had to be punished for it. I believed every word _they_ said. I didn't want to trust these vampires but I couldn't stay away from Edward. I needed him to live. Maybe not all vampires were bad. At least Edward wasn't one of the bad ones. I hoped he wasn't. I would have to leave him if he was. I didn't want to do that but I would have to. All I wanted was to be in peace. Was that too hard to ask for?


	9. Chapter 9

Jasper and Alice were with J. Jenks getting papers for Bella. She was officially to become a Cullen. This would make things much easier when we travel. I had told Bella we were doing this but she didn't really react. She just stared. Like usual. I wish she had, had some reaction. I don't think she even understood what was happening. She could be so frustrating. It wasn't her fault though. She didn't mean to do it.

J. Jenks was our lawyer. He was middle aged African- American and was a big guy. He forged documents and had worked for us for many years. He was aware something was strange about our family but didn't know we were vampires. The fear Jasper installed in him was enough to keep him quiet. Because of J. we were able to travel so frequently and stay hidden. I still worried sometime he would tell someone about us. Then we would have no choice but to kill him. We couldn't afford to damn another person to this life. It wouldn't be fair.

Bella and I were sitting in the library. I thought Bella would like to see the books. To my surprise, Esme and Rosalie had joined us. Bella stared at them in curiosity but made no move to greet them. She just huddled into my side. I tried to encourage her to go over to them but she wouldn't move. She just stared.

"Hi Bella. I'm Esme." Her voice was calm and nurturing. Esme sat across from Bella just far enough in reach. Her voice immediately caught Bella's attention. There was something just about Esme that caught people's eye. She was the most kind loving person that there ever was. Esme Cullen was our mother for all intent and purposes. Her heart shaped face and kind eyes immediately draw everyone in. You couldn't help but love her. She was married to Carlisle and was part of what kept us together as a family. That is what we considered ourselves. Not a coven. A family. We all love each other and that would never go away. When I went through my rebel phase during the early years of being a vampire, Carlisle and Esme never abandoned me. They accepted me back to the family even after all the awful things I did. I would forever be in debt to them. They gave me a family when I had no one. Now I get to do that for Bella. We can give her the family and the love she has been lacking all these years. I just want her to feel cared for again.

We all sat silently waiting for what Bella was going to do. Sometimes she felt really brave and went up to people and other times she was terrified. We could never know what to expect. She could be very unpredictable. Bella looked toward Esme and Rosalie and hesitantly crawled over to them. Bella smiled up at Esme and then looked toward Rosalie.

Rosalie Hale was the definition of an ice queen. Her golden blonde hair and movie star looks made people melt at the sight of her. She was more beautiful than the average vampire. When Carlisle found her, she was almost dead but at the last minute he changed her into a vampire. Rosalie had resented us for many years but soon got used to it. After she found Emmett, she couldn't have been happier. Although she was the vainest person and at the same time most infuriating, I couldn't help but love her. Rosalie was very hard to get to know and let few people in to know her. But once you did know her, you never wanted to let her go. She was fiercely loyal sister and a member of this family. All she wanted to do was keep us safe and she wouldn't hesitate to stop anyone who got in the way. That was one of the things I loved about her. I think Rosalie was the one person that sympathized with Bella the most. She understood her pain and I believed wanted to help her. It wasn't easy to get Rosalie to like you but Bella just seemed to have this positive effect on everyone. You couldn't help but like her.

Esme had, _Alice in Wonderland_ in her hand and Bella intensely stared at it. She didn't make any move to take it but instead was mumbling under her breathe. She wasn't actually speaking, just mouthing, words. We all waited to see if she would say something.

"Alice." Was all Bella said. She pointed to the book and stared up at all of us. She waited to see our reaction and we were all stunned. Another word. Bella had said another word. None of us could believe it.

"That's right Bella. This is Alice." Rosalie pointed to the front of the cover and Bella's eyes followed her finger. She reached out to touch Rosalie's hand and flipped it over. Bella traced the lines on her hand as she whispered the name Alice over and over again. If Esme or Rosalie ever got bored, they didn't show it. They just sat there quietly as Bella explored everything. She seemed to be enjoying herself and it made me happy. This was the most relaxed I had seen her in the past few days. I wondered how long this would last for. I hoped for a while.

A noise came from downstairs. It was Carlisle, he was home from the hospital. I heard him drop his bag at the front door and take off his shoes. Bella was listening intently. Her body visibly tensed and I could see the worry come back to her eyes. Her teeth started to nibble at her lip as she stared at the door in concentration. Carlisle had made his way up the stairs and to the library. Bella cowered into Rosalie's arms as Carlisle walked into the room. He stopped at the sight of all of us. Esme got up to greet him, as we sat their in silence. Bella looked nervously between the two of them.

"How was your day sweetie?" Carlisle asked. Esme just smiled as he bent down to kiss her on the lips. It lasted for a quick second before being interrupted. Bella didn't like the kissing. Her breath came out in short gasps as she watched them and small whimpers escaped her mouth. Bella's eyes filled with venom and she hissed in fear at Carlisle as he started to walk forward. Esme stood there frozen. I reached my hand out to calm her down but she flinched away from the sudden moment. I quickly pulled my hand back and that calmed her down a bit.

"Bella, it's alright. It's just a kiss. It's how Carlisle and Esme show each other that they love one another. Not all love is bad. There is good kissing and bad kissing." Rosalie calmly explained to Bella. She wouldn't listen. Bella kept shaking her head and venom poured from her eyes.

"Bad." Bella shouted. Another word. We hadn't taught her that word. I didn't want to think of how she learned it.

Carlisle was sitting in front of them and Bella buried herself into Rosalie. He felt awful for what had hahppened but no one could have predicted she would act his way.

"What's bad Bella?" Carlisle asked. Bella stared at him but I could tell she was sthinking. I am not sure she understood the question but she was searching for an answer.

"Is kissing bad?" Carlisle pressed. Bella was getting very uncomfortable but Carlisle wouldn't stop asking questions.

Bella was shaking and wouldn't stop mumbling to herself. She looked like if she was about to break. She was that fragile. Right now was really the time Jasper could help. I didn't want to even think about what had been done to her. I had to prove to her that not all kissing was bad. There was good kissing also. I didn't know how I could make Bella see.

"Bad girl. Punish. Bella, bad girl. Punish." Bella whispered to Carlisle. She looked between the two of us and the look in her eyes was terriefied. All she could associate love with was pain. She had never been showen real love or at least didn't remember it. I knew from Jasper's thoughts that he loved her. It was a brotherly love but still love.

"No. Bella, you are a good girl. There is bad and good love. Esme and I have good kind of love like what you and Edward have with each other." When Carlisle said my name she looked toward me. There was more confusion in her eyes. The words Carlisle was saying didn't make sense to her.

"Ed-ward. Bella. Good love?" Bella was asking Carlisle. She had crawled out of Rosalie's arms and into mine. I kissed her hand and felt her faint shudder. At least she was screaming and running away from me. It was a relief.

"Yes, you and Edward have a very good love. You are a very good girl." Bella leaned into my touch and smiled at his words. This was one baby step out of giant steps. We were slowly getting there.

"You are such a good girl. You are my good girl." I whispered as she relaxed in my lap.

"Good girl." Bella reoeated.

"Good, girl." I echoed.


	10. Chapter 10

The burn in my throat intensified every second. I watched Bella as she drank the blood blags and I was mentally moaning in pain. I haven't hunted since we found Bella and I couldn't ignore the thirst any longer. She had become very clingy and dependant on me and I didn't want another episode to happen like the last time. We still haven't cleaned up the living room. Carlisle said I should just go now and get it over with but I was worried about Bella .It was too dangerous to bring her along with me but I couldn't leave her. It was just end up hurting her in the end. She still didn't realize that I would never leave her. I just wish she would understand.

My eyes were black with agony and I clenched my jaw at the sight of blood on her lips. I wanted to speak but knew the second I breathed in the air, I would lose all self- control. I couldn't let Bella see that. She was oblivious of my current state and was preoccupied in drinking every drop from the bag.

We were still in the library and Alice and Jasper had come home a few hours ago. Bella had been mildly curious at the noise but didn't go to investigate. Instead she skimmed her fingers over the spines of the books lined up along the wall. I just waited her patiently and watcher her. This was the most peaceful I had seen her in awhile. I hoped it stayed like this. I didn't know how she would react when I left and I didn't want to know.

Bella had finished the blood bags and crawled back over to me. She came into my lap and tightly held onto my shirt in fists. She didn't want to let me go. This would make everything so much more difficult to leave.

I had texted Jasper an hour ago telling him that I had to go hunting today. I couldn't put it off any longer. Jasper was going to watch Bella when I went out but she wouldn't let go of me now and I didn't know what to do.

"Bella, sweetie, can you let go of me?" I ask in softest voice possible.

She looks up at me confused and I place my hands over hers, and gently remove her hands off of me. Her mouth opens and at first I think she is going to speak but then she goes to grab on to me again. I stop her and that's when she starts to cry.

"Sweetie. It's alright. I love you very much. I am not going to leave you. But right now I have to go out." Bella's cries get louder and louder when finally I hear a knock at the door. It's Jasper. He entered the room with a concerned look on his face. Bella grabs onto my leg and hides behind me as she stares at Jasper.

"Hi Bella." Jasper says. She stares at him but makes no efforts to speak or move. Jasper can sense her hostility.

He steps forward and in less than a second, Bella is all the way across the room. Her frantic eyes stare back at me in worry as Jasper slowly inches closer. Her body is tense and her eyes are black with nerves. I want to comfort her but know I have to leave right now. I didn't want to make this any harder than it had to be.

I place one hand on the door and I'm about to open it when I hear a voice. I turn around and look to Bella in anticipation.

"Ed-ward" she whispers.

"It's going to be ok, sweetie. I will be back shortly." And with that I walk out the door. I can hear the whimpers and cries sounding from our room hut I just try my best to ignore them. All I have to do is get through the rest of the day.

 **Jasper's Pov:**

Bella bared her teeth at me as I started to walk closer. I had closed the door behind me and was now across the room facing her. Bella's body was tense and ready to attack. I didn't want to do anything that would provoke her. Her eyes were lit with fire and but I could feel the fear radiating off her. I didn't know what she was so scared of. The other day she seemed fine with me but now she was terrified. I hope it wasn't anything I did.

As I came closer the growls became louder and louder. It was clearly a warning and she was now strong enough to physically hurt me.

I stopped right in front of her and knelt down on the floor. She curled herself up into a little ball but still glared at me from the corner of her eye. It was almost as if she was daring me to come closer.

I stared at her intently, analyzing everything about her. Her face seemed fuller but she still looked deathly pale with dark rings under her eyes. She almost seemed more at peace now.

I moved closer until I was right in front of her. Bella recoiled as I reached out to touch her hand. Growls erupted from her lips but I wouldn't let go. I could feel her trembling body underneath my hands. I softly caressed her hand, trying to get her to calm down. I didn't want to manipulate her emotions, it wouldn't be fair to her.

"You're ok. Nobody is going to hurt you" I whispered to Bella as I felt her anxiety rise. She flinched at the sound of my voice but didn't try to move away. Instead her body stiffened and her eyes closed. She inhaled my scent and a moment later her body relaxed. She let out a little sigh of relief and turned her head to look at me. I smiled at her but her eyes narrowed. She was still scared but her trembling had decreased.

I moved my hand around and softly placed it on the back of her neck. There were scars covering her neck and I softly traced over them. I could remember very clearly how we got them. A slight shiver went up her spine and she slumped down against the wall in resignation.

"I know you want Edward but there is no reason to be afraid of me. I would never hurt you." Bella looked to me curiously as I said Edward's name. Her eyebrows furrowed together and looked to me, confused.

Bella gently reached out to touch my arm. Her fingers traced over the scars that decorated my arms and I could see venom welling up in her eyes. I wiped away her tears before they could drop and she slightly trembled at the sudden movement.

"I know what you are feeling right now, and not just because of my gift. I understand your pain. There was a time when we once loved each other. All I ask is that you remember me. That is all I ask." Bella doesn't say anything except lay her head on my shoulder. I hesitantly put my arm around her and we just sit here.


	11. Chapter 11

**Jasper's Pov:**

The rest of the day had moved so quickly. The pain Bella had felt earlier had now become boredom and resignation. She didn't seem to care about anything. She was limp in my arms as I continued to talk to her. Everything I said seemed to be just passing through her. I am not even convinced she was actually listening.

The sun seemed to be setting lower and lower and it shined through the windows on us. Our skin light up like glitter and Bella seemed genuinely shocked. I realized with sadness that she had never been in the sun before now.

At the place, we were always kept in the darkness. So it was very fulfilling the moment I stepped into the sun for the very first time in a year. There were no words to describe the amount of joy and happiness I felt. But also pain, knowing that Bella wasn't able to experience that. It was the hardest part. Though that was in the past, and there was nothing stopping us now.

Bella was on her knees and had her face pressed up against the window. She was trying to feel the sunlight through the glass. In less than a moment, she had gone from bored to curious. I could feel her yearning to go outside.

"Bella do you want to go outside?" I asked. She turned her head and stared at me in confusion. Her eyebrows furrowed and she bit her lip in frustration. I sighed as I got up and moved towards her. She slightly flinched away as I came forward.

"Outside?" I pointed to her and then out the window hoping she would get the message. Her eyes followed my finger and she finally put the pieces together.

"Out-side?" She spoke. Her eyes went back and forth from out the window to me.

"Yes, outside. We can go outside." I repeated and her eyes seemed to light up. The realization made her more excited than ever.

As fast as she could, Bella raced out of the open door. I chuckled at her eagerness and ran after her. I found her at the edge of the stairs and she looked at them in fright. If Bella didn't know how to walk then there was no way she could go down the stairs. She looked to me with nervous eyes.

"It's ok, I'll help you." I picked her up bridal style and slowly walked down the stairs as she clung to me with her shaking hands. I didn't want to scare her anymore than she already was.

We made it down the two flight of stairs and I placed her on the floor in the hallway.

She crawled through the living room, often pausing to look around at the mess before continuing towards the kitchen. I followed along beside her.

Once we got to the kitchen she froze in surprise. Carlisle was there along with Emmet and Rosalie. I could feel her fear rising as she stared at all the people in the room. Bella had always had a big distaste of crowds and this certainly wasn't helping the situation. I could feel her fear was rising and I wanted to make it better. I knew I shouldn't of but at this moment, it was all I felt I could do.

I slowly let the calm sweep over her body and at first she seemed oblivious to it. Her body posture became less rigid and more relaxed. The fear seemed to be almost gone but then suddenly her eyes narrowed. She turned her body towards me and growled. She flashed her teeth in warning and I immediately pulled back. Bella seemed to then calm down but she stayed in the defensive position. Everyone became more alert. Emmett and Carlisle were ready to step in if necessary but Rosalie couldn't give a care in the world. She just sat back and rolled her eyes. Rosalie thought that we should treat Bella with more dignity instead of tiptoeing around her all the time.

"It's ok, I won't do that again." I whispered. I put my hands up in defense as she lightly growled at the sound of my voice.

Bella's emotions were haywire and without realizing it, she had moved all the way across the room to Rosalie. She eyed Carlisle, Emmett, and I suspiciously but found Rosalie to be the least threatening. I figured that had to be because she was a woman but in reality, Rosalie was the most the freighting person here.

"Out-side?" Bella asked Rosalie. She tugged at her hand and pointed to the front door. She was getting impatient at the lack of response. Bella's eyes briefly flickered to my face before focusing her attention on Rosalie again.

"I would love to go outside." Rosalie replied after a minute. Bella flashed her biggest smile and crawled to the front door. She sat there as I unlocked it and nervously waited as Rosalie went first through the door.

She stood on the porch and the sun shined down on her, illuminating her skin in sparkles. Bella's eyes widened as she gazed at Rosalie. Little by little, Bella inched forward onto the front porch and I followed behind. I could feel her emotions changing every second. Going from fear to happiness, confusion to content.

Bella breathed in the fresh air and watched with amazement as leaves fell from the trees onto the porch. Her curiosity got the better of her and she went off the porch into the grass. It was wet from the rain earlier but Bella didn't care. She picked the grass and smelled the remains of it on her fingertips. She went to take a bite but I quickly stopped her.

"Grass is not for eating. Trust me when I say it won't make you feel good after." I'm not sure she understood what I was saying but she put down the grass from where she had picked it.

Bella sat there and looked around the yard. Her eyes landed on the lillies in Esme's garden.

Rosalie noticed and went over to pick a flower. We were sure Esme wouldn't mind.

"Do you want to smell the flowers Bella?" Rosalie held out the flower to her and she took it in her hands.

"Be careful. You don't want to break it." Bella didn't listen and crushed it in the process of holding it. Tiny whimpers sounded from her mouth as she looked at Rosalie with sad eyes.

"Now don't start crying on me. We can just get another one and this time you have to be more careful." Rosalie got another flower for Bella and this time tried very hard not to hurt it.

I stood back and watched Rosalie and Bella interact. I didn't know what to think, seeing Bella this carefree and happy. I never thought Bella would have a chance to experience this but here she was in the flesh in blood. I never wanted this to end.


	12. Chapter 12

**Jasper's Pov**

Bella seemed to slowly be coming out of her shell. Day by day she became more confident and started exploring other parts of the house. She was still unsure about Emmett and Carlisle but at least she wasn't hiding away from them anymore. While all this was incredibly amazing, there was a more serious issue at hand.

Edward was missing.

The last time we talked was three days ago and it was now almost a week since he had left to hunt. Everyone has tried his cell but he didn't pick up. Emmett and Carlisle had gone out searching for him. They hadn't come back yet.

Our other option had been to call Alice. She and Esme had decided to go to New York at the last minute to clear their heads. Alice could see the future and she searched and searched for his whereabouts but couldn't see anything. It was as if someone had blinded her eyes. They were currently on a plane coming back to Forks.

This all had us very distressed, especially Bella. She cried and asked everyday for Edward but none of knew what to say. It was as if he had just disappeared. We knew he would never abandon us especially now that we had found Bella.

The only reason I could come up with for his disappearance was foul play. Either the Volturi had to be behind this or another coven.

The Volturi were the rulers of the vampire world. The main leaders were Aro, Marcus, and Caius. They were the ones who enforced the rules and carried out the punishments for those who had broken them. There job was to make sure the vampire world was kept hidden. The Volturi was comprised of the most powerful vampires ever created and they actively sought out new members. They didn't hesitate to destroy anyone who went against them. That was part of the reason they hated us.

My coven was one of biggest and most powerful covens around. Edward, Alice, and I had very powerful powers. The Volturi wanted us very badly to join but time after time we had declined. So it was possible, that Aro had gotten impatient and had Edward kidnapped. That is what we all wanted to believe but I couldn't shake the feeling that the Volturi had nothing to do with this. Everyone knew what I was thinking but nobody wanted to say it outloud. We didn't want to make it more real than it already was.

I sighed as I looked out the window. Rosalie was trying to distract Bella from all the chaos that was going on around us.

Rosalie had Bella's book and they were reading on the porch. She was leaning against Rosalie and seemed completely entranced in the book. I was happy she had forgotten about Edward at least for now. I didn't know how I was going to explain to her that he was missing. I knew she would take it hard and that was the last thing we needed right now. I didn't want to damage her further than she already had been.

Bella's light and airy laugh was music to my ears. She hadn't laughed since she had arrived. Rosalie softly ran her fingers through Bella's hair and she laughed along with her. Bella's shoulders that had once been tense were now loosed and relaxed. Bella was oblivious to my presence but Rosalie acknowledged me with a knowing look. We were both wondering how long this calming demeanor would last.

"Yo dude." I hear a voice come from behind. I spin around to face Emmett and Carlisle. The looks on their faces is grave and I know something is immediately wrong.

Rosalie stays outside with Bella but I know she is listening. As for Bella, she has no clue what we are talking about. So she just ignores us.

"Did y-you find anything?" I whisper. I already know the answer but just don't want to hear it.

Carlisle speaks up. "We found a foreign scent. Does a wet dog smell mean anything to you?"

As soon as he says that I go frozen. All too familiar memories I had tried to erase come pouring back. They attack my mind like a bunch of voice screaming to be released. I can remember the long hours I sat in the dark and then finally smelling their disgusting odor as they got closer to my cell. I remember them standing over my body as I begged for blood. Their sweat dripping from their face and landing on me as I was mocked. It was psychological torture. I could never forget their smell. It permanently implanted in my brain. No matter how hard I tried, I could never forget.

My breathe was coming out in gasps and I had unconsciously moved across the room. I was curled up in the corner of the cabinet between the cupboards. I could see from the corner of my eye a figure coming towards me. I started trembling harder and harder as they approached. I didn't want to get hurt. My life was filled with was pain.

The man bent down in front of me and reached out to touch me. I instantly stilled as the hand rested over my scar covered arm. I could hear a faint voice speaking but I was too caught up in the memories.

The smell of burning flesh and wet dog filled my nose as I took in a deep breathe. I pulled away from the man and had wrapped my arms around my head. I could feel the venom running down my face as I remembered the torture and humiliation I had faced.

I prayed and begged for the pain to stop but the memories just kept coming. I couldn't control them.

Suddenly I felt arms circle around me. I snarl ripped through my throat and I immediately prepared to attack but I couldn't break free of the person's arms. I could hear them speaking soft words to me. Though something was different. It was no longer a man but a woman's voice.

"Please someone help me. Someone save me." I brokenly whispered. I had just about given up fighting. It was no use anymore. I had lost. I was crying so hard that my body shook and I felt someone's fingers softly going through my hair.

Ever so slowly I opened my eyes and was met by the sight of Alice. I hadn't even seen her come back. Carlisle was sitting to the side of me while Esme and Emmett stood in the background looking at me with shocked expressions on their faces.

I look back to Alice as I'm about to break down again. I place my head on her shoulder as she rubs my back,

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." I mumble. I don't know how to make up for what had just happened.

"You are ok. I am here now and not leaving. We are going to be ok." Alice whispered.

"No we're not. They have Edward. Nothing is ok."

"I know Jaz. I know." That is all she can say.


	13. Chapter 13

Bella was as attached to Rosalie as she was to Edward. I could feel the fear within her rise everytime Rosalie left her sight. It was the same fear she felt when Edward went away. But only with Edward it was ten times stronger. Right now since he was gone; Rosalie had her complete and uttermost trust. Even I couldn't get through to her. The only person that will be able to tell Bella about Edward is Rosalie. That was the only way she would truly listen. The only question was how would she understand?

Bella sat on the kitchen floor drawing. She was making a picture of her and Rosalie in the garden. It has become her favorite place. She was just trapped in her own mind, unaware of the chaos that was ensuing around us. It made me happy but worried at the same time to see her like this.

"Jaz, stop stressing. I'm right here." Alice's voice comes up from behind. I take her hand in mine and give a small smile. No matter what she says the nerves won't go away. I am worried about how Bella will react. She has lost so much and this is just another thing to add to the list. It feels like I have failed her over and over again and for once I just want to bring something positive to her life.

Rosalie and Carlisle had come to sit next to her; and Alice and I sat across from them. Bella put down the pencil and scooted closer to Rose. She was still weary of him. She looked around at all of us before landing her eyes back on Rosalie. She looked to her with questioning eyes.

"Bella, sweetie, I need you to be a big girl for me. Can you do that?" Rosalie asked. Bella recognized her tone and immediately was paying close attention.

"I know that you like Edward a lot, and he went away but something bad has happened to him. Edward is gone." We all were silent as we waited for Bella's response.

"Gone?" Bella mimicked. Her eyes went dark and nobody dared to make a sound.

"Yes Bella, gone. The bad people who hurt you, have now hurt him. We need your help in saving him. You want your Edward again, don't you?" Rosalie's voice rose in anticipation.

"Bad. Bad people. Edward. Good. " She whispered. Bella seemed to be caught up in her own memories. Her eyes were filled with pain. I could feel her starting to break down.

"Yes Bella. Edward is good and he really needs our help. Please." Rosalie stares at her with pleading eyes. I can feel everyone's emotions in the room were haywire and nobody knew what was going to happen next.

Bella hesitantly took her sketch pad and flipped to the drawing of Edward. Her fingers lightly brushed over his face as she whispered his name. At first all I felt was longing and sadness from Bella but it swiftly turned to anger.

"Somebody Catch her!" Alice yelled but it was too late.

In a flash before we could blink, Bella threw the pad across the room and got to her feet. It didn't seem real. She had never made any indication that could stand before now. We were broken out of our trance when ran full speed to the front door and yanked it open.

Emmett and Esme followed us into the woods. Her speed astonished me and every second she seemed to get more and more fast. Rosalie, Emmett, and I were coming up by her sides while Alice, Carlisle, and Esme had circled around the forest to surround her. A growl slipped through her lips as I finally caught hold of her. With accidental force, I grabbed her waist and landed on top of her. She growled and bit at anything she could get her mouth on. Emmett held down her legs while I had her others had come back to join us and approached cautiously.

"Edward!" She screeched. I held on tighter as she became more and more upset. Esme, Carlisle, and Alice positioned themselves in front of Bella incase she broke loose, and Rosalie sat right in front of her.

"Edward!" She continued to cry. Nothing would get her to stop. If only, she got louder and louder.

"Bella? Hey, Bella!" Rosalie screamed and took Bella's face in her hands. She was forced to look at Rosalie. She had now quieted down but still had the wild look in her eyes.

"You need to calm down. If you want to save Edward, you can not act like this. Do you understand?" Rosalie's voice was thick with authority and emotion. There was no room for argument.

Bella weakly nodded her head and slumped against me. Emmett slowly let go of her as she started to settle down. We sat in silence for a little bit as Bella was crying. We didn't want to trigger her. The forest had gone silent and the animals seemed to disappear.

"Edward." Bella whimpered. Her voice was so broken and lost. It was like she had given up all hope.

"Bella, honey, you need to tell us who the bad people are. Jasper can only help us so much. Now it's your turn." Carlisle said for the first time.

Bella looked up at him and defeatedly whispered, "Master."

Everyone was silent for a second. I didn't want to remember those times of when I had a so called "Master". It sickened me to the core that Bella still called those monsters that.

"Who was your master Bella?" Rosalie asked.

Bella mumbled, "Jacob. Master Jacob."

She froze in my arms and I could feel her emotions turn numb. The anger left her eyes and was replaced by loneliness. I knew she was being pulled into another memory. But this time I wouldn't be able to pull her from it.


	14. Chapter 14

"What the hell did you do?" I growled. I don't care who caused this; I was just so damn pissed off. I knew it was a bad idea to tell Bella. I knew something like this would happen. This was all my fault. I held Bella in my arms and raced her back to the house. The others followed behind me.

I brought her to Rosalie and Emmett's room and placed her on their bed. Her body just laid limp and nothing seemed to snap her out of her trance. No matter what we said, no matter what we did. Bella wouldn't budge. She was catatonic.

If a vampire had received a great enough shock then they could become immobile; and Bella has had enough shocks to last a lifetime. This didn't surprise me.

"Jasper do you think you could manipulate her emotions? Maybe that would pull her out of her daze." Emmett stated in the silent room.

"I can't. There seems to be some sort of barrier blocking me. Sometimes it's there and other times it is not." I said.

"Wait so does she have a gift?" Emmett curiously asked. I contemplated his answer but before I could speak, Carlisle took the stand.

"I would say yes. We could always call in Eleazer to check for us but for what I have seen, it looks like she is a mental shield. I don't believe she is aware of when she is turning it on and off." Carlisle said.

I was soaking up all the information like a sponge. Apparently being a mental shield meant that Bella was able to defend herself against other vampires abilities if they were specialized on attacking within the brain and psyche. That's why I had a hard time controlling her emotions and Edward couldn't read her mind. He had confided in me once before but we didn't know what to make of it.

I could only imagine the amount of power Bella could have if she really learned to control her gift. If it actually prevented Edward than imagine what we could accomplish against Jane or Aro.

"What should we do about her right now? Should we let her stay like this or should we try to wake her up?" Rosalie asked. Her concern for her newfound friend worried her dearly.

"I think we should just leave her be for now. She will come out of the memory when she is ready. Rosalie, you should stay and talk to Bella. She may not be in the present right now but it's still comforting to know that she is not alone." Carlisle stated.

Rosalie agreed with Carlisle and took Bella's hand and laid down on the bed beside her. The rest of us exited the room silently.

I went down stairs with Carlisle as Alice, Esme, and Emmett parted their separate ways.

 **Rose:**

Bella was so still and quiet. This was a big change. She always had something to say or do on her mind but now it was different. The void inside of her that had been filled by Edward had now opened back up. Edward was the earth and Bella was the sun; everything revolved around her. That is how close their relationship is. If he moves she moves.

I couldn't imagine the ordeal Bella must be going through right now. Even after my experience, Bella was so much braver than I was. She endured the abuse day after day for years and still made it out alive. She wasn't as broken as we thought she was. Eventually we all hoped that she would could have the happy life, she deserved.

I figured Bella must be feeling lonely right now so why not read her a story. It has calmed her down in the past and it may be nice for her to hear another voice.

"Ok Bella, so I know Alice in Wonderland is your favorite but I think I want to try something else. How does that sound? How about I tell you the story of, _Sleeping Beauty_. I'm think you will like this one." I whispered into the silent room.

Bella didn't answer. I didn't expect one. I just hoped she would be pulled away from her mind.

"Long ago there lived a King and Queen who said every day, 'If only we had a child!' But for a long time they had none.

One day, as the Queen was bathing in a spring and dreaming of a child, a frog crept out of the water and said to her, 'Your wish shall be fulfilled. Before a year has passed you shall bring a daughter into the world.'

And since frogs are such magical creatures, it was no surprise that before a year had passed the Queen had a baby girl. The child was so beautiful and sweet that the King could not contain himself for joy. He prepared a great feast and invited all his friends, family and neighbours. He invited the fairies, too, in order that they might be kind and good to the child..." My voice just seemed to float through the air and I lost track of the time. I don't know why but I was always so drawn to this story. I don't know what about it.

"At last he reached the tower and opened the door into the little room where the Princess was asleep. There she lay, looking so beautiful that he could not take his eyes off her. He bent down and gave her a kiss. As he touched her, Sleeping Beauty opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

Throughout the castle, everyone and everything woke up and looked at each other with astonished eyes. Within the month, the Prince and Sleeping Beauty were married and lived happily all their lives." I finish the story with a sigh and look down to see Bella staring up at me. Wide awake. She quickly scurries down to the floor and lets out a deep sigh of relief. I join her on the floor; obviously quite relieved that she is alright. At least for now.

"Bella sweetie I am so sorry about before. We don't have to talk about it again right now if you don't want to. Ok?" I ask.

"No." Bella states.

I stare at her confused. What is she talking about?

"Master Jacob and me? Friends. But no more friends. Master Jacob, mean and bad." I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. Was she saying that her and Jacob had been friends?

"You and Jacob used to be friends but then he hurt you?" I ask.

"And pack. Pack is mean and smelly." What does she mean by pack? I remember when Carlisle was talking about a wet dog smell. Was she talking about shape shifters?

"Bella was the pack werewolves? Could they become big animals?" I ask in a shocked voice. Bella realizes what I am saying and nods her head excitedly.

I can't believe what I am hearing. The only shape shifter pack left in this world was the Quileute tribe. They had been around for centuries and had always had a strong vendetta against vampires. It didn't surprise me that they would do something like this. I should have seen it sooner.

"Bella what happened to your family? Do you know?" I ask.

Bella's eyes immediately go dark and there is a sadness that washes over her face.

"Gone." Is all she says. What does she mean by gone?

"What do you mean sweetie?" I ask quietly.

"Vampires. Dead." She grumbles.

I think I have a pretty clear idea now of what she is trying to tell me. I just don't want to believe it.

"Did vampires kill your family? Is that how you became one?" I say. My voice rises in distress.

Her body is shaking against mine as she struggles to keep in the tears. At this moment I don't need any confirmation. I know vampires killed her family. The more I think about it, the more the pieces are starting to be put together.

"I want to get this straight. A long time ago, you were friends with the pack and especially Jacob. But one day your family is attacked vampires and you are turned into one. The pack can not ignore your new way of life and takes matters into their own hands." I am rambling on and on to myself but everything is starting to make sense now. I can not waste anytime.

"Bella, you have helped so much. Because of you, Edward is going to be saved." I say.

She looks up at me at his name. Her eyes are like a ocean, overfilling with water. I have forced her to relieve so many traumatic memories that I am surprised se has given up yet.

With all this newfound information, I go to take out my phone to call Jasper. Carlisle and him had gone out on a run. The emotions in this household had been affecting him greatly. Finally after what seemed like the longest wait, he answers.

"Hello?" He answers.

"Jaz, it's me. You and Carlisle need to get back to the house right away. I think I know how to find Edward." I say in a hurry.

Without even questioning it he says, "We will be home in an hour."

And so now all we an do right now is wait for their return.

Bella lays her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes. I look at her for a moment before thinking, "Maybe Bella is our seeping beauty and Edward is our prince."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

 **Jasper**

Carlisle and I had left the house to clear our heads. He had wanted us to get away from everything for a while. The atmosphere at the house was so intense. It was like I was being weighed down and couldn't breathe. That's why it was a tremendous relief to be out in the wilderness. It felt like I could finally breathe again. Of course I didn't want to leave Bella but I was coming to realize that sometimes I needed to take time for myself if I wanted to effectively be there for Bella.

We slowed down to a walk as we made it across the river. You could hear the sound of animals walking upon the ground and feel the brush of the cool wind across your face. I had never felt calmer.

Carlisle had a perplexed look on his face as he thought about what he was going to say.

He never spoke without wisdom or sincerity and I know that he has been deeply troubled by the latest events. He cared for all of us kids greatly and all he wanted was to give us the best life possible.

Carlisle was our coven leader but more importantly our adoptive father. We looked to him when times were tough and he always managed to pull us through. It was one of the things I greatly admired about him. But because of his role in our lives, he always had to put on a brave face to keep everything from falling apart but I knew everything he was feeling. I knew the pain and worry he was felt for his first son and new daughter. I had always said that it's not good to hide your emotions because you will regret it in the end but Carlisle was too stubborn for his own good.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked. There was never just one reason for his actions.

Carlisle said, "I know this may be hard to talk about but I was wondering if you were willing to talk about your time captive. What was Bella like?"

We were both silent for a second as I processed what he was asking. I had never willingly talked about it a loud other than with Alice but it was already out in the open and eventually I would have to reveal the whole story. Why not start now?

"Uhm, well, as you could guess it was not a very pleasant time. Their home was the literal definition of hell. If you were caught by them, it was basically signing your death warrant. There was never any possibility that you would make it out alive." I whispered into the silent air. Carlisle stared at me questionly and I knew what he was thinking.

"I bet you are wondering how I am alive. Well let me tell you, it was on pure luck. There was some sort of the emergency and the man who was guarding our cell left in a hurry without checking if the door was locked. I had been planning the escape for months and was able to break off the chains around my neck. Since the house was basically empty, I was able to make my escape. I never looked back after that. It's what Bella would have wanted me to do. I had to at least give her that."

Carlisle was silent as he was trying to process what I was telling him. I probably sounded like the biggest sleazebag of the century but there was more to the story than that.

"How come you didn't take Bella?" Carlisle whispered. I felt a quick flare of anger rise as he said that but it soon settled down to pity.

"Believe me, I wanted to bring Bella with me. I begged and pleaded with her but she refused. Bella claimed she was too weak and would slow me down. It would be her fault that we were caught she said. I didn't want to believe her but I knew apart of what she said was true. I felt sick to my stomach when I left her. I knew that she would face the brunt force of the punishment for my escape but I couldn't bring myself to turn back. I just couldn't." My eyes are welling up with venom as I recall of the events.

"D-does that make me h-horrible person?" I whispered. I didn't want Carlisle to be disappointed in me. Carlisle stops our walking and puts a hand on my shoulder. I am too ashamed to look him in the eye.

"Son look at me." He finally says. I refuse to at first but he insists.

I hesitantly look into his eyes, expecting to see a look of disappointment and hate but instead all I see are his golden eyes full of love and heartache. I am very confused by his expression.

"What you did was not horrible. You did an incredibly brave thing. You risked your own life in order to save Bella's. Think about it; if you had stayed at their house than you probably would have been killed or even worse. Then that would have left Bella completely defenseless. Your leaving gave her hope that someday you could be together again. Bella had something to look forward too. Even if she doesn't remember you right now, it is somewhere in her body and we just have to find it. You saved her." Carlisle's voice raised passionately.

There were tears of venom streaming down my face and I couldn't control the sobs that wracked my body. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Carlisle believed in me. He was disappointed or angry. He was proud. That was all I ever wanted him to think of me. For once maybe I had done something right.

I was pulled in for a hug and we stood there in the forest embraced in each others arms. I had never been this affectionate with him before. Hell, I had never been like this with anyone other than my mate.

The bittersweet moment was sadly interrupted by the sound of a cell phone ring. Reluctantly I pulled the phone out of my pocket and answered it. There had better be a damn good reason for why I am getting a call from Rosalie.

"Hello?" I answered. Carlisle listened in on the conversation intensely.

" _Jaz, it's me. You and Carlisle need to get back to the house right away. I think I know how to find Edward."_ Rosalie said in a hurry.

Without even questioning it I said, "We will be home in an hour."

I hung up the phone and stared at Carlisle in a daze. What was Rosalie thinking? What had she discovered.

Without further thought, we took off for the house.

 **Rose:**

Carlisle and Jasper had made it home in under an hour and joined me and the rest of the family in the library. They quickly seated next to their mates and stared up at me for the news.

I realize that I could be totally wrong but at this moment my theory was the best idea we had but I had to run it by the family first.

"Thank you all for coming and listening." I started off. I looked to Emmett for encouragement and he confidently signalled for me to keep going.

"I was talking to Bella and I learned some information about the captors. Do you remember the battle between the vampires and wolves from a thousand years ago? Well the vampires and shapeshifters both wanted the same land. Neither side could come to an agreement on who got the land so in the dead of night, a group of nomad vampires went to the neighboring county and killed an entire pack. This enraged the wolves which lead to an all out war. As you know the vampires won, which lead to an almost complete extinction of the shapeshifters. There were only a few packs to survive and those who did were taken into slavery and later murdered. The only whole pack to survive was the Quileute tribe. They have a serious vendetta against us and I believe they are the group that took Bella, Jasper, and now Edward." I finished what I was saying only to be met by dead silence. Everyone looked at me with shocked expressions on their face. It took awhile to figure out but it all makes sense.

"You're right. I knew our captors weren't human but I couldn't figure out what they were. I was so disoriented that the thought of shapeshifters never even crossed my mind." Jasper said. I can tell he is beating himself over this realization.

"Everything you say makes sense. The shapeshifters goals are to get rid of their mortal enemies and hurt us the way our kind hurt them." Alice said.

"But then how did she escape? There is no way she did it on her own." Esme chimes in.

"Somebody must have brought her here on purpose. They knew that we were close by and would find her. Whoever did it might not agree with the pack's activities and wants to leave them." Carlisle answers.

"So then how are we going to find Edward?" Emmett asks.

"First off, think about it. As sick as it is, their most prized possession is right here with us and they are not only want Bella back and are willing to do anything to get her back and that includes taking Edward and I don't think they are going to let him go so easily." I'm talking about Bella. I don't mention her name because I don't want to worry her more than she already is.

"And second; did you know that the Quileute tribe originated in La push? They were pushed out during the war. We now reside on their land and like Carlisle said, she was not placed here by accident. Why would they choose Forks of all places?"

"Wait so are you saying what I think your saying?" Emmett's booming voice says in the quiet room.

"The Quilette's are back and they are here to stay. They are not leaving until they get what they want. This means none of us our safe." Jaspers ragged voice says.

The emotions of the room are weighing him down and the memories can't be helping. I am pretty sure everyone is feeling a great amount of stress and horror at this new information. But we can't give up just yet. All we can do is hope.


	16. Chapter 16

**Rose**

The pack was here.

As much as I wanted to put on a brave face for Bella and the rest of the family, I couldn't help but be nervous. The stories of what the shapeshifters could do were truly terrifying. I don't want to see anyone in the family get hurt. The wolves have had so much time to prepare and we are just finding out about them; and who knows how many other shapeshifters there are in the world? All I can think about is that it's been a thousand years and the wolves are angry.

"Well then we fight!" Emmett roared out loud. Bella visibly jerked away from his booming personality.

"I am afraid that is our only option. I wished we could resolve this peacefully but something is telling me that the wolves won't listen to a word we say." Carlisle regretfully stated. He was always the peacemaker.

"Alice is there anything you can see about the events leading up to the fight or the actual fight?"Jasper questioned. His voice was firm but I knew that he was terrified deep inside. Just like me.

"All I see is Bella hiding with Rose somewhere. It's dark and cramped. I'm not sure where though. Everything is so hazy because of the dogs." She finally said. Alice had searched and searched for more clues but that was the best she could find. She could not see past the shapeshifters for some unknown person.

I was relieved at the information that Bella would be away from the chaos. It just made it easier to get Edward and fight the wolves. But I did have some concerns. While it was helpful that I would be able to keep an eye on Bella, what would I do if the wolves found us? It would be one vampire against a bunch of them. Trapped in a dark small room with only one exit. The wolves would tear me to shreds within seconds and there would be no one to defend me but Bella; and I don't know how well that would work out.

"Rose" Jasper said, interrupting my thoughts. He could sense my rising anxiety and sent a wave of much needed calmness my way. It felt as if I could finally breathe again.

"Thank you" I said sincerely. Emmett came over and put his arm around me. I snuggled into his big chest and just wished this would all be over with.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you. I will always be here to protect you." Emmett whispered into my ear.

"We all will; that's what we do. We protect the ones we love." Said Jasper.

Bella took my other hand and smiled up at me and I knew that I had to do this for Bella. Just like Jasper said, _we protect the ones we love._

 **Jasper**

Carlisle finally broke the calming silence.

"We need to asses the wolves and learn everything we can about them. Jasper will you be willing to give us any information?" Carlisle asked tenderly.

"Of course. I will do anything to protect this family." I stated passionately.

"The last I remember, there were about twenty wolves in the pack." I said.

"Twenty? But how could there be so many?" Carlisle repeated; shocked by the large number.

"The shapeshifters wolf genes are activated by the presence of vampires and with them being so close; I am sure the number has risen." I whispered. Everybody sat listening; taking in all the information.

"In 1942, I believe Billy Black was the alpha. I never met him personally but I could feel from the others a great esteem when he walked into a room or when he was speaking to them. Everything the wolves did was because of him. He gave the orders and they followed." I listed as I remembered my observations of them at different social gatherings.

"Jacob Black was his son. He was only a young boy, sixteen at the most. All he wanted to do was please his father and make him proud. I could feel his admiration but at the same time fear. He didn't have the same malice for us vampires as his father did and didn't agree with his ways, but he was too scared to go against him. Jacob was destined to take over the pack when his father died. There was one young girl he cared deeply for and I could feel his pain and sorrow everytime he hurt her. Though his feelings faded overtime and he came to believe what his father had been preaching all long. He no longer gave a damn about what he did to the girl." I suppressed the urge to start crying at this moment. It wouldn't do anybody any good; and we all knew I was talking about Bella. It didn't take genius to figure it out.

"Next was Sam Uley and Paul Lahote. They were both in their early twenties and were possibly if not the most, dangerous wolves in the pack. They were in charge of the military units and had control over what was done to the prisoners. Sam was a very calm calculated person, who took time and precision in his torture while Paul was a hot- tempered, violate wolf. He did things before he thought them through. Sam and Paul were complete opposites but together found great joy in causing me anguish along with Jacob." I had to stop now and catch my breath at this. I hadn't thought about them in a very long time and it didn't even seem real that they were back. I wished it weren't the case.

Alice put her hand on my shoulder as I calmed down. I didn't want to get more sucked into the memories than I already was.

"Thank you, Jasper for the information." Carlisle said sincerely. His gratitude resonated throughout the entire room.

Everyone continued speaking but I couldn't keep my eyes away from Bella. She was playing a puzzle on the floor and too anyone else it would look like she was oblivious to everything going on around her but I by the way her shoulders were tense and distracted motions, I could tell she was very aware.

I tuned back into the conversation as I heard my name being said.

"Jasper will be at the fight because of his combat skills and he can control the atmosphere; Emmett because of his strength; Esme and I to fight along with everyone; and Carlisle because you are the leader of this coven and I have a feeling that they will bring Edward along and if we have time to negotiate then they will most likely only listen to you." Alice said. I had missed the whole first part of the conversation.

I didn't want it to come to a fight but I knew that at this point it was inevitable. It was bound to happen. But I would never forgive myself if anyone got hurt because of me. It just wasn't acceptable.

"So do you know where this fight is going to take place?" Emmett asked.

"I don't know" Alice said distressed.

"Do you at least know when?" Esme asked.

"All I know is that it will happen sometime around noon in two weeks." Alice replied after her vision. We all were somewhat relieved at this knowledge. At least we had a little time to prepare.

Everyone talked well into the evening when we were interrupted by a knock on the door. Right away we smelt the wet- dog odor and knew it was one of the shapeshifters. Nobody moved at first or went down to the door. Bella hid behind Rosalie while my face paled. I didn't think I would have to see them so soon. Carlisle eventually decided to open the door. Emmett and I decided to follow behind.

Carlisle took the door handle and opened the door an inch. On the other side stood a young looking boy. I recognized him immediately.

"Hello. How can we help you this evening?" Carlisle asked in his most polite voice he could muster.

"My name is Seth and I thought you could use some help." The young boy whispered.


	17. Chapter 17

The young boy stood on the porch nervously waiting for a reply. Nobody knew what to say. It was obvious he was a shapeshifter. His stench filled the air and left a familiar sense of dread at the bottom of my stomach.

Emmett let out a fierce growl at the sight of him which caused even more tension. He cowered away from him and looked ten times more scared. A part of me was happy that we were able to cause him pain but another part couldn't help but feel bad for the boy. All long Seth had just been a pawn in their pack. He was the only true member that cared about the vampires and didn't want to see anyone get hurt. I had desperately hoped that he would help Bella when I left. It wasn't fair to him or her.

We look at each other in the eyes but neither of us had anything to say. We are both in shock from seeing each other. Carlisle sees our interaction does something only he would think to do.

"Please Seth, come inside."

To say there was tension in the room would be the understatement of the year. The four of us were seated in the kitchen and Seth looked scared stiff. It wasn't everyday you found yourself sitting inside the home of vampires. Seth knew he was on enemy territory and could be killed any second but he still came. I had to give him credit for his bravery.

Seth sat their awkwardly as we were all at a loss of words. The others listened from up above because they didn't want Bella to see the boy yet. We didn't know how she would react. Nobody knew what to say first but it was obvious that we were all thinking the same things.

One- _What was he doing here?_

Two- _How was Edward?_

Carlisle looked to me from the side of his eye. I had evaluated his emotions to make sure he wasn't lying to us and all I found was truth inside of him. I gave Carlisle the go ahead to speak.

"My name is Carlisle, this is Emmett and I'm sure you know Jasper." Carlisle's voice faltered a little as he finished the sentence.

Seth nodded, at a loss for words and looked at the two of them before settling his eyes on me. We stared at each other with knowing eyes but didn't converse. We hadn't exactly been on speaking terms.

"If I may so boldly ask, why would you want to help us? Your kind is holding one of our own hostage and you would be fighting against your own pack. What makes you think we can trust you?" It was very rare for Carlisle to break his calm composure, but at this moment all he could think of was all the pain and suffering his daughter went through, and what his son must be enduring right now. This was a new found rage in Carlisle that I had never seen before.

Seth's face went pale at the sight of Carlisle's darkened eyes and all of us were very much shocked at this knew side of our leader we had never seen before.

"Uhm, well I left the pack a couple nights ago. I have been with them for a long time and I don't approve of their tactics. I had always thought about leaving them but when they took Edward it was the last straw for me." Seth whispered. He was too afraid to look us in the eye.

"How's Edward?" Emmett growled. He asked the question that we had all been too afraid to ask.

"As well as to be expected. He is stronger than I thought. The wolves haven't broken him yet. I would have brought Edward with me if I could but he is being heavily guarded. Jacob is determined to get back at all of you. I have never seen him this power hungry since Isabella." Seth said. Carlisle had to bite back a growl at the sound of her name. Before I could speak Seth cut in.

"Can I see her? Is she here right now?" He eagerly asked.

"No!" I roared. Emmett and Carlisle had to hold me back from attacking him when he mentioned her name. I wasn't going to let this filthy mutt anywhere near her. Any sympathy that I had for him before had vanished. I was now reminded of who he really was. He was just another one of the wolves who simply sat by and watched us be tortured. He could have chosen to be an upstander but instead was just a bystander. In my eyes that makes him equally as guilty as the rest of those wretched wolves.

Seth flinches away from my outburst and looks prepared to flee but I eventually calm down.

"I understand your reasons but I just need to know if she is ok. Please." He pleads with us.

"Why do you seem to care for her so much?" Carlisle demanded.

"Who do you think helped her escape?" Seth questioned.

 **Rose**

I think it was fair to say that we were all in shock. None of us would have expected this plot twist. The stench of the wolf boy downstairs was enough to make us gag and send Bella into hysterics. But she wasn't trying to hide from him, she was trying to go to him. Her anger was evident and I knew the moment we let her go, that boy would most likely lose his head; and none of us would stop her.

"Bella sweetie you have to calm down." I currently had her embraced tightly in my arms. As much as I would have loved to set her loose it was not in our best interest. Esme and Alice sat in front of us softly speaking to her. But this just seemed to upset her further.

Sobs filled the room and at the mention of Edward they became even louder. I didn't want to imagine what Edward was going through and I could only imagine how hard it must be for Bella right now. I never would have survived if Emmett had been taken from me.

I don't know how much longer we sat there but Bella soon gave up fighting. We sat in silence as we listened to the conversation. I desperately wanted to know what would happen next but Alice couldn't see past the wolves. It was very frustrating for all of us.

I didn't know how much longer we would be up hear because we were waiting to be called down. Carlisle would assess when the situation was safe enough.

It didn't take long for Jasper to react. I had been expecting he would act out eventually because he had been holding in his emotions for so long. So it didn't surprise me when he almost attacked Seth.

But what did surprise me and I am pretty sure everyone else was that Seth had saved Bella. As much as I had wanted to kill him before, the level of anger has now been lifted slightly. Even though he was a wolf, he still rescued Bella which I am pretty sure all of us are grateful for. I knew it was time to head downstairs.

"Bella we are going downstairs now. But you have to be on your best behavior. This means no attacking Seth, Can you do that for me?" I asked in the most serious voice I could muster up. None of us would let Bella downstairs if didn't agree.

We waited a few seconds before she finally nodded her head. Even though Alice was powerless at the moment, she was confident that Bella wouldn't do anything. I picked up Bella to carry her down the stairs because I knew she would be reluctant to walk.

I followed Esme and Alice out the door, down the stairs and into the kitchen. The wretched dog smell was horrid and I couldn't help but grimace at the boy. But Seth seemed to have eyes only for Bella. He tried to walk towards her but Emmett stopped him and Bella snarled at the sight of him.

"You can see her from across the room. This is as far as you can go." Carlisle said. Seth may not have liked it but it was as far as he was going to get.

"Hi Bella" Seth said to her. His voice was soft and he genuinely felt sorry for her but there was only so much gratitude I could feel for him.

Bella only narrowed her eyes at him and didn't respond. She obviously didn't remember him rescuing her.

Seth gave up after a few attempts at starting up a conversation with her and turned to Jasper. But he was having none of this small talk.

"How did you get her out of their?" Jasper demanded.

"Well, uh, I was supposed to be guarding her and most of the pack was away on some business and I realized this was my only time to save her. I did what I wanted to do all those years ago and now I finally had the guts to."

None of knew what to say.

"I truly am sorry for what has happened to all of you. I am now prepared to fight against them if you would let me." He truely sounded sincere and at the moment it didn't hurt to give him a chance. I could see Jasper agreed with me. We looked to Carlisle for confirmation.

"Seth, trust me when I say this. You have only one warning. If we find out you are lying or you try to hurt one of us, I will not hesitate to kill you. The safety of my family comes first. Do you understand me?" Carlisle's voice dominated throughout the room.

The threat of his words seemed to resonate within the boy. He bowed his head in surrender and in quietly whispered, "yes sir."


	18. Chapter 18

I have added the story Hope to Wattpad, and it's under the username IrishChika15; if you would like to read it there also. Hope you enjoy!


	19. Chapter 19

**Bella**

 _ **Flashback:**_

 _It had been days._

 _No, that's not right._

 _Months._

 _It's had been months._

 _Time just seemed frozen in this prison._

 _There was no more light or day._

 _It was always dark._

 _I never knew when breakfast, lunch or dinner was._

 _I would either be fed within a few days or within a few months._

 _My only entertainment was counting the cracks on the wall._

 _Everytime I messed up, I would start again._

 _It was the only way to keep me from going crazy._

 _I was curled up in the cage, staring at the door._

 _I had heard noises coming from outside._

 _The guards would usually change their shift during this time._

 _I could smell their nasty dog odor, and I fantasized about the day I would finally get my hands around their neck._

 _I can't believe I ever called this pack of mutts my friends._

 _They were nothing more than the enemy now._

" _I want to go in," a young voice said._

" _It's to dangerous for you." An older man answered._

" _I'm old enough and stronger than her," he protested, "You guys will be right outside the door the entire time. You can stop her if she tries anything."_

 _I listened for what the guard would say._

" _Fine," he said. The young boy's breathe hitched in tension and his heartbeat increased._

' _However there are precautions you need to take," He said before the boy could get to hopeful,"You must be nowhere closer than five feet from the vampire; you're only allowed thirty minutes inside; If the leech asks you any questions, do not answer; it will be trying to get in your head; and the last thing is, do not, and I repeat, do not open the cage, the moment you do, the leech will try to attack. Do you understand?"_

" _Yes, I understand." He said in the most serious voice._

 _His heartbeat intensified and I could hear shallow gasps coming from his mouth._

 _He was scared._

 _I smiled._

 _This kid would be easy to take down, if only I could be released from this damn cage._

 _Perhaps if I'm docile enough, he'll let me out._

 _All I had to do was bite my tongue to keep from speaking out of turn._

 _That wouldn't be so hard, right?_

 _I had lost some hope after hearing them talk but maybe not all was lost._

 _He would be easy to trick._

 _They exchanged a few more words and then suddenly, the metal door softly opened and in stepped the young boy._

 _It was Seth Clearwater._

 _My eyes widened in surprise. I hadn't seen him since I got here._

 _He was always such a sweet kid. His charisma could make anyone fall in love with him. Seth and I had instantly hit it off. He was just a likeable person._

 _Nothing like these other monsters in the pack._

 _Or so I thought._

" _What are you staring at leech?" He said in a high voice; I could hear the nerves._

 _He was trying to impress the other pack members and be brave, but we both knew that this was bullshit._

 _It was me,_

 _Bella Swan._

 _Yes I may be a vampire but that doesn't mean I've changed._

 _What's going on with him?_

 _Out of all the people in the world, I didn't expect this from him._

 _I couldn't even look at his face._

 _I had to turn my head away._

" _Nothing." I whisper. I make myself smaller and keep my eyes focused on the wire cage bottom._

" _That's what I thought." His voice trembles._

 _I bow my head and don't say another word. I can hear him sit down on the ground across from me._

 _How could he be doing this to me?_

 _Had he bought into the packs lies that quickly?_

 _Or had our friendship been a fabrication all long?_

 _I didn't know what to believe anymore._

" _What are you thinking?" He suddenly asks._

 _My eyes shift to his. They hold what I believe to be hurt and curiosity._

 _If he wants me to talk then I'm going to be honest._

 _Brutally honest._

" _Well right now, I'm thinking, what happened to my friend? Because the person I see right now is being a real asshat." I growled. ._

 _His jaw is clenched and his hands are in fists. He glared straight at me and I unflinchingly, stared back at him._

" _Well at least I don't kill people for a living. You blood sucking filthy vampire." He spit at me._

 _I gasped in shock._

 _The old Seth would had never talked like that._

 _What had gotten into him?_

 _I took deep breaths to keep my anger from rising. If my heart was beating, it would have broken._

 _One of my best friends._

 _One of my two best friends hated me._

" _What did I do?" My voice broke, "What did I do to make you hate me? I'm still the same person. I'm still the same."_

 _Seth looked away from me._

 _His hand shook again. Tears came to his eyes but he quickly wiped them away._

 _But it was too late._

 _I already saw._

" _It's still me. Just let me out and we can talk." I hopefully asked._

 _Any sympathy he had for me was now replaced with disgust._

" _No, I can't," he said, "You are not the same girl. The Isabella Swan I knew didn't have to drink blood for a living. She didn't fantasize about killing her friends. You are not the same girl. Isabella Swan is dead. You're just another one of these blood sucking leeches." His voice was angry and face was red. His tears had been long forgotten and were now unwillingly streaming down his face._

 _Seth was standing at the door and clutched something in his hand._

 _It was shining._

 _I realized with great surprise it was my mother's locket._

 _The only thing I had left of her._

 _I hadn't had time to take it before I was captured. I thought it was lost forever._

" _Seth." I whisper._

 _I crawled to the front of the cage and gripped onto the wire. At this moment, all I needed to do was get out._

 _I don't care that I looked like an actual animal, begging and groveling at her master's feet._

 _I just needed the locket._

" _I found this at your house. I was going to give it to you, but I'm not so sure anymore." He softly said. Seth had turned to the door and was about to leave._

 _The necklace hung from his hand and I eyed it with a hungar._

" _Please," I begged in mercy, "I'll do anything."_

 _His hand froze on the handle and slowly turned around. For a brief second, Seth seemed guilt-ridden. He opened his mouth but nothing came out._

 _I waited._

" _Here," he finally said._

 _Seth chucked the necklace in my direction and I managed to catch it through the cracks of the cage._

 _The door slammed shut and I was all alone._

 _I held the necklace to my chest and cried tears of sadness._

 _For the loss of a friend,_

 _And the loss of a mother._

 _I would cherish this locket for the short time I have it._

" _Thank you." I whispered to the silence._

* * *

"Outside." I demanded.

I didn't want to be here anymore.

Seth was giving me too many painful memories.

It hurt to think about them.

Everybody looked in my direction.

I didn't like all of this attention.

I was uncomfortable.

I shifted and hid behind Rose's legs and let another little snarl slip from my mouth.

This was directed right at Seth.

If you didn't realize.

"Bella, honey, it's too late to go outside. We can go out tomorrow." Esme said.

Gah! Ick!

I didn't want to go outside tomorrow.

I wanted to go now.

"No," I growled, "Now!" Esme didn't know how to respond.

"Isabella Cullen. Knock that off this second." Rosalie warned. I had promised to be on my best behavior but things seemed to change.

Besides, I didn't like rules.

It was good to break them every once in a while.

"No." I repeated.

It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. I slowly felt Jasper's gift work its way across my body but with a quick growl from me; it was gone.

Rose got down to my level and looked me straight in the eye.

I stared right back at her.

"When Esme says no, it means no," she said in her no nonsense voice, "do you understand?"

I refused to answer.

I guess you could call me stubborn.

"Isabella look at Rosalie when she's speaking to you." Jasper had joined the conversation.

Rosalie and him were stationed in front of me. I growled up at him. But this time he didn't back down. He became stronger.

My jaw clenched and I thought about what to do next. They both didn't seem like they were going to be moving anytime soon.

This was all Seth's fault.

Because of him and _his_ pack,

Edward was probably being tortured and everything was a mess here.

I don't believe he is actually going to help us.

It's just a trap.

"Isabella?" Rosalie questioned again.

Her hand was outstretched towards me and she waited for me to take it.

She wanted an apology.

So I did the only thing I could at the moment,

I pulled her closer to me,

And bit her.


	20. Chapter 20

**Jasper**

It was chaos.

That was the only way to describe it.

Emmett had just about ripped Bella's head off and Rose was clutching her arm. I had no option but to pull her away.

She struggled and bit at anything she could get her teeth on and I was trying and trying to calm her down but nothing seemed to work. Her shield had become to strong and I couldn't break through.

She was acting erratically and I was quickly losing my hold on her. Carlisle and Esme had stationed themselves in front of the two potential exits and Seth stood at the doorway stunned.

There were bowls and glasses smashed on the floor and drawers were broken. This is what seemed to happen every time Bella went into a rage. Not a thing was left unscathed. We still hadn't come around to fixing the living room.

"Seth get out of here!" Carlisle yells.

Bella's anger had suddenly shifted to Seth and we all knew that it wouldn't be a good outcome if she got her hands on him.

"No."

We all look at him in shock. Did he just say no?

Bella was seconds from tearing his head off and yet he wanted to stay with her. He wanted to come to closer to her. I don't know if he is mental or just plain stupid.

"Let me go!" A low snarl escaped her lips and she focused all her attention on the young werewolf.

It only took a second for me to become distracted and for her to break out of my arms. She was too fast for any of this and had taken Seth by the neck and flew into the living room. They landed on the already broken coffee table that was now completely destroyed.

"I hate you!" She had him in a chokehold and he was struggling to breathe. "This is all your fault!"

"I'm s- sorry." He tried to say. Bella just slapped him across the face. That shut him up.

"Bella…" I whispered. I was standing a few feet away. She watched me with weary eyes. I didn't try to come closer for it could be fatal for the boy. She was seconds away from biting him. One wrong move and Seth was good as dead.

"You wanted to go outside before?" I ask. "Didn't you?"

I'm trying to turn the conversation around. I can feel Bella's interest suddenly peak at the new subject.

"You liked the flowers before, right?" She nods her head repeatedly. The chokehold loosens slightly.

"I liked the flowers too." I say. "Especially the Daisies."

"Daisies?" She puckers her lips and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, they're the ones with white petals." I can see that I have her full attention now. "You would like them. They are very pretty." I say. "Just like you."

She cracks a smile and her hold on the boy loosens. She is staring at me, waiting for me to continue talking.

"Isabella, if you come over to me, we can go outside." I say. "We can pick some flowers for Esme and maybe we can even go hunting."

Carlisle looks at me in alarm. We haven't discussed if she was even ready for hunting yet but at the moment it seemed to grab her attention.

"I bet you're tired of those blood bags."

She nods her head and stands up. She's slowly walking over to me and Carlisle is following quietly behind her.

As soon as she is out of the way, Carlisle grabs Seth and runs up the stairs. By the time Bella has turned around they are gone.

* * *

We are running through the forest with Alice in the back, I'm in the front and Bella is in between.

We were initially worried that the wolves could be in the woods at night but we hadn't run into any trouble so far. The only problem was getting Bella to venture deeper into the forest. Memories clouded her mind of the last time she was here and it made her reluctant to come back. It took some convincing but she eventually realized that she would be safe.

The three of us suddenly stopped when we heard a noise. I searched all around the woods and my eyes finally landed on a mountain lion.

Edward would have loved this. Mountain lions were his favorite.

It was oblivious to our presence and I crouched down into a hunting stance. Bella stood to the side with Alice and watched in curiosity. I could feel her yearning to catch the animal but she reluctantly stayed back.

"You'll get your turn soon." She whispered to Bella. "Just watch what Jasper does."

I let out a loose growl and when the animal looked my way, I didn't waste a second.

I pounced.

The mountain lion didn't even stand a chance. Before it even had a chance to fight, I had drained it dry. I stand up and push the carcass off of my body.

I expect Bella to be terrified but instead she is smiling.

"Did you like that?" Alice asks her.

Bella nods her head, enthusiastically.

"Do you want to try?" Her smile widens even further. I, on the other hand am weary. I'm thinking the same thing Carlisle was.

Is she ready?

Alice looks confident and sure of herself. She's always relied on her visions but lately there has been some issues.

"Are you sure Alice?" I say.

"I'm positive. Trust me." She replies.

That's the only thing I can do right now, trust her.

We scope out the area for any other signs of life and quickly find a deer. The three of us move closer to it and Bella's attention is entirely focused on the animal.

"You need to listen to me." I whisper in her ear.

She nods her head.

"I want you to focus." I say. She follows my order and relaxes. "Next, I want you to take a breathe." Her nose wrinkles in disgust and I can feel her anticipation and impatience growing.

"I know it smells gross." I smile.

Bella is crouched down, copying me and I know that she is ready. She is practically itching to get her hands on it.

"I want you to run and pounce." I say. "The deer will fight back but you are stronger."

I say as I remove my hands from her shoulders. She doesn't give another thought before she takes off.

Alice and I watch in amazement and she leaps in the air and lands on it's back. I'm tempted to intervene and help her but Alice stops me. "She knows what she is doing."

I watch in anxiety as the animal fights back and lets out cries of anguish. Bella and the dear are rolling around and fighting on the ground. Before we know it the animal has quieted down. Bella is vigorously sucking it's blood as it takes its last remaining breaths and soon everything is silent.

We watch in caution as she lets go of the deer and gets up. Her hair and clothes are covered in blood and dirt. She doesn't even seem to notice. Bella makes her way back over to us and I can feel her emotions going haywire. She can't believe what she just did and slowly coming off from the high of hunting for the first time.

"You were amazing." I smile.

She and Alice both let out a laugh as Bella picks at the dried blood on her clothes. She is clearly still thirsty. I don't even have to say anything else before Bella takes off deeper into the woods, looking for her next meal.

It has probably been about almost an hour and we are still hunting. Bella can't get enough of it. This is the most excited I have ever seen her. For a moment I can almost forget about everything going on around us, Bella looks just like a normal carefree vampire.

Alice and I had just finished off and Elk together and we quickly buried it. We are about to hunt again when something catches both of our attention.

Bella is standing frozen at the top of the hill staring at something.

"Bella?" Alice calls.

When she doesn't respond, Alice and I immediately think the worst. The wolves have found us. We quickly run to Bella's side and see what she's looking at.

Just a few feet away is a large black wolf. But this is no ordinary animal. It's a shapeshifter.

The moment it sees the three of us, it starts to back away. If it is alone then it is no match for three vampires.

"Get out of here mutt!" Alice growls. The werewolf slowly steps away from us and takes off before we can do anything else.

"Bella are you alright?" I ask, urgently. "Did he hurt you?" I'm scanning her body for injuries and to my relief I find none.

"We should get out of here." Says, Alice. "We don't know who else is out there."

I agree with her and I turn to Bella.

"Do you think you can run back home?" I ask. She doesn't respond, she's still staring straight ahead. She doesn't say anything. Bella's in shock, I come to realize.

"She's in no condition to run home." Whispers Alice. "Just pick her up."

I follow her directions and pick Bella up bridal style. She tenses in my arms but makes no moves to get away.

"Let's go." Alice says.

I follow and whisper to Bella, "It's going to be alright. Everything is going to be alright."

* * *

"What happened?" Is the first thing we hear upon arriving back home. Rose's arm has healed and all that's left is a silver bite mark. Emmett follows closely behind her.

"There was a shapeshifter, out there." Alice says.

"What!" Rose and Emmett shout at the same time.

"Who was it?"

"Did he hurt you?"

"I swear to god, I'll kill them if they touched you."

Questions and comments are flying around so fast that we don't get a chance to respond.

"Quiet!" Alice screams.

That seems to get their attention.

"We are fine." she says. "We don't know who the wolf was but I scared him away before it could do anything."

They both sigh in relief.

"What's wrong with Bella?" Rose asks concerned.

"She's just in shock." I say. "We were hunting and that _mongrel_ must have caught her by surprise."

She is suddenly angry when she hears what I say. I don't know what I did. "What the hell, Jasper! You let her hunt? She could have been killed!"

"I thought the same thing, but everything worked out fine." I argue. "More than fine actually, she was happiest I had ever seen her."

She calms down immensely and stares at the quiet girl in my arms. "Give her to me. I'll bring her upstairs and run a bath."

"Ok." I hand Bella over and she doesn't even fight. She just leans into Rose's shoulder and takes a deep breathe.

"Let's clean you up. You'll feel much better." She whispers. The girls head upstairs while Emmett, Alice and I head to the kitchen.

"Do you really not know who the wolf was?" Emmett asks once Rose and Bella are out of sight.

"Yeah. I had never seen any of the pack in their wolf forms, only human."

"And Alice, you can't see past them?"

She shakes her head. "I'm very limited to what I can see." she said. "And that doesn't help us much."

"Well, what are we going to do now?" I say. "Why would they be in the woods at two o'clock in the morning? I doubt it was just a nighttime stroll."

"I'm not sure but I do know someone we can ask." Alice hints and points upstairs.

She means, Seth, who is currently with Carlisle and Esme.

"Do you think he would be willing to talk?"

"I don't see any harm in asking. It's worth a shot." She responds. Although I am hesitant to involve him in this, we have no choice at this point.

* * *

Carlisle had changed the guest bedroom into somewhat of a hospital room. Seth was laying on the bed while Carlisle was fitting his arm into a splint. He was sweating and looked distressed. He groaned when Carlisle touched his arm and his head rolled to the side.

"How bad is the injury?" I ask.

Esme who is sitting by the bed responds, "He has a broken arm and concussion." she says. "But he'll recover soon."

"Good, because we have some questions." Says Alice.

"Is this a bad time?" I say.

"What do you think?" Snaps Carlisle. "He has a broken arm, concussion, and was almost choked to death."

I roll my eyes. Seth wasn't worth all the fuss. For all we knew, this could be some elaborate trick by the pack. I wouldn't trust Seth until he gave us a reason too, so therefore, I had no sympathy for him.

"I honestly don't care, he'll heal quickly. This can't wait."

"Jasper, I'd appreciate if you'd save this interrogation at least until tomorrow!" Carlisle demands.

"No! Every second that passes is a second we could have spent on saving Edward." I hiss. "You surely haven't forgotten him, have you?"

Carlisle lets out a low growl and steps towards me. I copy his actions. He seemed more concerned about this _dog_ instead of his own family.

"Both of you stop it!" Esme steps in between us. "Fighting isn't going to solve any problems."

Emmett pulls me back before I can do anything else and Carlisle backs down.

"None of us have forgotten about, Edward." Says Esme. "Trust me when I say this." There's a pain in her voice and I instantly feel bad for what I said.

"I know." I whisper. "I'm sorry."

"I understand. We're all a little tightly bound at the moment." Carlisle says.

I nod my head in acknowledgment.

"I guess this can wait until tomorrow." I reluctantly say. I don't want to cause any more problems with them.

"Thank you." He whispers.

The three of us are about to when a voice suddenly speaks up. "N- No. it's ok." Seth weakly says. "I can answer any questions."

Carlisle put his hand on his shoulder telling him it was ok to refuse but Seth didn't listen.

"Very well." Carlisle responds.

I turn around stunned. I can feel his emotions and know that he is being sincere. I decide to take a chance.

"There was a black wolf in the woods while we were hunting. Do you know who that is?"

"That's Sam Uley."

"What was he doing out there?" I demand. Nothing good ever happened when he was involved.

"Everyone takes turns patrolling the forest at night for any threats. Sometimes it's a whole group and other times it's just one person."

I heard the double meaning. What he really meant was that they were searching for vampires.

"What do they do if they find a _threat_?" I growl. We were lucky that he didn't attack and I wanted to be prepared for next time.

"Usually kill or take them captive."

 _I had experience with this._ I thought bitterly.

"You should be more careful when hunting because Sam has now seen all three of you. There's no doubt that he has told the pack." He said. "They'll be searching and watching more closely now." All of us are relieved to hear this new information. This would help us a lot from now on.

"Thank you." Alice says gratefully. The rest of us repeat what she said.

Seth groans one last time and closes his eyes. "You should rest. I'm going to get you pain meds soon." He doesn't hear what Carlisle said because he is already asleep.

Emmett, Alice and I exit the room and shut the door.

"We are going to have to start training first thing tomorrow if we want to be ready for the fight." Alice says.

"I agree, from what we have heard and seen, the wolves are very strong right now." I said.

We all agree and go our separate ways.


	21. Chapter 21

**Rose**

I took Bella from Jasper and carried her upstairs. I admit that I may have underestimated her capabilities. We all knew now that she was capable of handling herself.

Just look at what happened to Seth.

But I still couldn't help but worry. She had been through so much abuse and now she has to deal with one of the wolves again. Our home is supposed to be safe for her and now there's a _dog_ staying with us. She felt threatened. I understood how she was feeling.

Bella was sitting on the bathroom rug while I turned on the bath. The water came streaming out and turned around to get some towels from the cabinet when I saw her. She was staring at me with large wide eyes and looked as if she were about to burst into tears.

I knelt down in front of her. "What's wrong Bella?"

She hangs her head low and her long hair covers her face. She hugs her knees to her chest and whispers. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

I brush her hair back and she's forced to look me in the eyes. The look I see is absolutely heartbreaking, she's shaking and there's terror in her eyes. She flinches away suddenly when my hand is in the air. I was just going to touch her arm.

She thought that I was going to hit her.

"Why are you sorry?" I ask quietly.

"I hurt you." She softly ran her fingers over the crescent mark on my arm.

"Bella, it's alright. You haven't been bad. You were just scared, angry, frustrated. It's normal to feel that way when there is a lot of stress." I tell her. "Trust me when I say this. You will not be punished by me or anyone else in this house. Nobody will hurt you."

Bella looks at me shocked. "No punishment?"

"No punishment," I say. Her body immediately relaxes and a look of relief flashes across her face.

"How about that bath now?" I say.

A Cheshire cat grin spreads across her face. I smile back and set towels by the edge of the tub. She has undressed and is waiting patiently.

"Do you want me to stay or would you like to try the bath by yourself this time?"

Her face scrunches up in concentration and after a few moments of hesitation she answers, "alone."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. She always chooses the first option. But I guess it was fine, I would respect her wishes. I can't worry about her forever eventually, she'll gain her independence back.

"Alright, just shout if you need me." I exit the room taking one last look at her.

* * *

"We needed to have a talk." Carlisle says, capturing our full attention.

All of us were seated in the library having another family discussion. Bella sat by my feet, still very much so afraid of furniture, and the rest of us waited for Carlisle to continue. We had no clue what he wanted to talk to us about.

"I think we've been acting very cocky."

I'm taken aback. What was he talking about? He saw the confusion on all of our faces.

"All this time we've been talking about fighting the wolves but we haven't even stopped to think about how strong they actually are." He pauses. "The shapeshifters turn into the wolves by the presence of vampires and we don't know how large the pack is. We can't fight by ourselves or else we'll lose."

"What do you suppose we do then?" Emmett asks.

"As opposed as I am to the idea, I think we should call some of our friends." He states. "Such as the Denali's and others."

"Well, they certainly have a reason to get revenge on the wolves," Alice says. "They killed Irina's mate."

I nod in agreement.

"What about the Volturi?" I ask. "They will certainly take care of those _dogs."_

Carlisle hesitates, unsure how to respond.

"That's not a good idea." Says Jasper.

"Why?" I demand. "It's either our lives or those mongrules and the Volturi is the fastest most efficient way to save Edward!"

"Have you forgotten that they have been after him and Alice for years?" Jasper yells, putting a protective arm around his mate. "And that Bella has a gift so powerful, the Volturi will be dying to get their hands on her."

I hiss at him in anger. No, I hadn't thought of that but that doesn't mean they are going to do anything.

I look to Carlisle to back me up. "Jasper is unfortunately right. The Volturi will most likely see this as the perfect opportunity to take Alice, Edward and possibly Bella. Even if we do decide to trust them, there is no way that they will stick to their promise of protecting us. It's too risky."

I stare at them all in anger. Everyone seemed to be siding with Carlisle and Jasper. I couldn't believe them! They were actually willing to let our whole family die.

"Well, I'm not going to stick around and watch you all get yourselves killed! I'm going to fix this on my own!" I storm out of the room with Emmett hot on my trail.

* * *

The sun has risen. Emmett sat by my side all night.

I paced and growled then paced some more and growled even louder.

I was seething. I was only thinking in the best interests of Bella and Edward but my so-called familywasn't even willing to give the Volturi a chance. I knew what I had to do.

I booked a plane ticket last night. Emmett didn't know.

"We have to leave," I state.

"Babe, what are you talking about?" He stared at me like I had grown two heads.

"I can't explain now but I need you to trust me."

"Rosie, of course, I trust you. But you're acting a little crazy. What's gotten into you?"

What did he mean? I was acting for the good of our family! But they failed to see it.

"How about we wait for the rest of them to come back from hunting and then we can discuss this all together." Emmett proposed.

I shook my head. "We don't have time. They won't understand and will try to stop me!"

Emmett is unsure what to do. He didn't understand. "Babe, understand what? Why would they try to stop you?"

"I'll tell you later but right now can you just pack our bags?" I demand.

He reluctantly agreed and I took this chance to write two notes. It didn't take long for either of us to finish and pretty soon we were all ready to go.

"Are you sure you want to leave?" Emmett asks again.

I nod my head.

"What about Bella?" He asks. "She's lost everyone she cares about and now you are leaving. How do you think she is going to react?"

I didn't want to think about that. I needed a clear head.

"Bella will be fine in the end. She will recover." I say in a dead voice.

"Then what about our family? What about the fight? Are we really just abandoning them?"

I have a plan and it's going to work. "If everything goes accordingly, we'll all be safe and Edward will be back." He doesn't seem to sure but I don't let his hesitation faze me.

"Is this about the Volturi?" He finally asks.

I don't answer.

"Rose…"

"Everything is going to be fine, Em," I say confidently. "Everything is going to be fine."

I head out the door with Emmett calling after me. There is one last thing I need to do.

I run to Edward's room and knock on the door.

"Bella, can I come in?" I call from the other side of her door. It doesn't even take a second before I hear her soft voice say my name.

I walk into the room to find her on the ground.

She's currently living in Edward's room, as that was her favorite place. She sat every day on the floor, gripping onto his black jacket, that had his everlasting scent. She didn't let anyone else touch it, afraid that they would ruin the smell.

Her eyes lit up as I came and sat down right across from her. I knew I had to make this fast and simple. I couldn't let myself get caught up in the emotions.

"Read to me?" She asks innocently. She grabs, Alice in Wonderland and holds it out. I place it on the floor.

"Bella I can't do that today." I sigh. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"But why?"

I shake my head. "Because Emmett and I are going on a special trip."

"Can I come?" She asks, suddenly excited.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, this trip is only for the two of us." She hangs her head in sadness and buries her face in the black sweatshirt.

"You will be back soon though?"

I can't bare to tell her the truth. I honestly don't know when we are going to be back.

"Yes, I'll be back soon." I lie.

"Promise?" Her voice wavers.

"Yes Bells, I promise."

I pull her in for a hug and relax in her arms for just a second. I didn't know when I was going to see her next.

"It's time for me to go now." My voice is thick with emotion.

Without another word I stand up and turn away from Bella. She's calling my name but I've already raced out the door and down the stairs into Emmett's arms.

I place two envelopes on the dining room table and remove the gold necklace from my neck and place it on top of the letters.

"Rose, we don't have to do this," Emmett repeats.

I shake my head. I don't have to do this. I need to do this.

For Edward. For Bella.

I grab our suitcases and head out the door to my red Porsche. I toss the bags in the back seat and the next thing I know, Emmett and I have taken off.

"What's our plan?" He asks.

"First we have to go to Italy," I say.

 **Bella:**

Rose was gone. Edward was gone. My parents were gone. My once best friend was gone.

But Jasper was not gone.

He was just away and was coming home soon.

Everybody seemed to leave me. Everybody seemed to abandon me. What was wrong with me? What had I done to make everyone hate me?

I sat in Edward's room and stared out his glass window into the forest. It's hard to imagine that just months ago, I was found out there. It had once been such a scary place. So dark and lonely. But now I found it mysterious. I wondered what else was out there.

I knew Edward was so close but staring at the densely populated woods made him feel so far away. I just wanted him back.

He was supposed to be mine and I was supposed to be his. We were supposed to be together forever and be happy.

But because of those wolves, my life had been ruined.

The happy memories of my parents had vanished and all I could remember of them was their horrible deaths.

My happy memories of Jacob had been replaced by his vicious grin and evil torture methods.

Even Seth, who I had once considered a brother, was no longer a happy memory. He was the epitome of everything wrong in my life. The blood that ran through him made him just as much as a monster of the rest of his pack.

I didn't care that he supposedly saved me. I didn't care that we were once friends. I didn't care that he had been the only person to view me with sympathy.

All I cared about was having revenge for those who did me wrong. Who did Edward wrong.

And I was willing to do anything to get him back. No matter what the cost.

I listened to the sound of Seth's heartbeat coming from the second floor. His wet dog stench filled my nose and I gagged in disgust. I had been told to stay away from him and to let him heal but why should I do that?

He deserved to die.

I had been humiliated and abused. I was treated like an animal and denied my basic rights.

I deserved to have at least one thing good in my life. So much had been taken from me. I wanted to feel happy again. I wanted to show everyone that I was not broken no matter how broken I felt.

I would not get my wish until I met the man who was the source of all my pain.

It was obvious Rose was one some sort of mission on her own and everyone else was planning something big but nobody asked me what I wanted to do.

Maybe it was time to take actions into my own hands.

* * *

"Get up." I ordered.

Seth glanced at me wearily. His arm was in a sling and the bruise on his face was getting worse every day. He winced when he turned to his side and I noticed a gleam of sweat on his forehead.

I thought wolves were supposed to heal quickly. He didn't look like he was even close to being healed.

"Bella?" He questioned.

I growled at him, shutting him up.

"I said get up." A rumble sounds from my chest.

His eyes widened in fear. It was obvious that he was too weak to even sit up on his own but I wouldn't take that for an answer. I currently had the advantage because I had injured him so I was bound to be stronger.

Besides, my bite lethal to him. If I really wanted to, I could kill him right here, but now isn't the time or place for that.

He would have his death soon.

"What are you doing?" His voice shook.

I stalked toward him. My eyes were black and hands were clenched into fists. He wouldn't fool me.

"Bella whatever you're thinking, please don't do it. Please." He pleaded with me. Tears filled his chocolate brown eyes.

I let out a snort. He was unbelievable.

"Do you really think I'm going to buy that?" I say. "All those times when I cried for help you did absolutely nothing. I don't care that you _saved_ me now. It's too late for your forgiveness. I'm already damaged."

Seth cries in shame.

"I want answers. I want to know why my _master_ hates me so much. I want to know what I did wrong besides becoming a vampire against my will!" I scream furiously. "You're going to help me with this whether you like it or not."

I yank him by his arm (that's in the sling) and pull him out of bed. I hear the crunch of his bones as he hits the floor and he screams in pain. The sound of his obvious agony makes me more than pleased. He is finally feeling the pain the tiny ounce I pain I felt.

"You're coming with me. We're taking a little visit to La Push." I hiss. "They can't kill me or Edward if I have you. You're too valuable to them."

Seth starts to shake and tries to get out of my arms. "Bella, please! I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I really do just want to help!"

I ignore him. He never listened to me so why should I listen to him now?

"I may not be very smart but I am no longer that weak girl. I won't stop until I get what I want… even if that means killing you in the process."


	22. Chapter 22

**Rose**

It was as if our dead hearts had come back to life and all time was frozen. The curious looks of Aro, Caius, and Marcus's red eyes made me squirm. The atmosphere was thick with tension as Emmett gripped onto my hand for dear life.

We had landed less than an hour ago and it didn't take long for guards to find us in the village. We were escorted to the castle under the watchful eyes of Felix and Demetri. I knew Emmett thought it was a bad idea to come but it was too late to turn back now.

"What a pleasant surprise," Aro said in a silky voice. He got up from his chair and drifts toward us as Renata followed closely behind, keeping her eyes on Emmett and I. His black hair moved along with the wind and his ghostly pale face light up with a smile. His voice may have been welcoming but the atmosphere was anything but.

"Hello Aro," I respond, trying to keep my voice as civil as possible.

He looks between the two of us and lets out a cackle. The two of us flinch at the sudden noise and he finds it even more humorous. My grip on Emmett's hand tightens.

"Why are you here?" Caius's annoying voice breaks apart this awkward exchange.

"We are here to report a crime," my voice shakes.

This catches everyone's attention. Marcus raises his eyebrows in sudden interest and suddenly Caius doesn't seem so irritated anymore.

I focus my attention back on Aro only to see him stick his hand out toward me. Aro had a gift to see every thought of one person by the touch of their hand.

I hesitantly place my hand in his and watch as he delves into my mind. It takes less than a minute and he releases suddenly.

"Well, well, well…" he trails off, "It seems we have a problem with the wolves once again."

Caius growls. "What have they done now?"

"They have been harming our own kind," says Aro. "Edward has been taken in revenge for young, Bella."

Emmett stiffens at the sound of her name and I grab his hand, warning him not to make a scene.

"Who is this Bella you speak of?" Marcus's soft voice floated throughout the room. I turned to him, having momentarily forgotten he was still here.

"Her name is Isabella Swan. My family rescued her a few months ago while we were hunting. She was kidnapped by the wolves in the late 18'00's and had been with them ever since." my voice shook.

"They hurt and violated her in every way possible. We thought that she was dead when we first found her. She had been treated as if she was just an animal for so long that she believed that she was." Emmett responded.

"And has she recovered?" Marcus asked.

"Well, uhm, not entirely." I whispered.

The Volturi were very serious about keeping the secrecy of vampires and didn't hesitate to eliminate anyone who might pose a threat to that. I just hoped that they would listen to us before making any decisions.

"What do you mean?" Caius hissed.

My eyes flash to him, startled. "She's slowly recovering. She's improved a lot since we first found her-"

"Does she even understand the rules of our world?" His voice booms.

I opened my mouth but I don't know what to say. I need to come up with something credible.

"So you've got a rogue vampire who's about as good as a newborn. Who's to say that she isn't a threat?" Caius states.

I shake my head and a growl escapes through my lips. Felix and Demetri inch closer but Aro stops them.

"Brothers, let's not fight. We can resort this peacefully."

"You don't understand, Aro," says Caius, "She is dangerous."

"From what I have just seen, Bella is just an innocent young girl wanting to be free. She's just trying to understand and heal after everything that has happened. Isabella just wants to be loved." Aro sighs. "Am I wrong?"

"Bella is terrified of literally everything. She doesn't like strangers and fiercely protective of all of us. She never strays far away from our family and just wants to be with Edward again. She is a survivor, not the perpetrator." I said. "Please, all we need is your help. The wolves will just keep on attacking and they'll never stop until they are all dead."

The entire room is silent as my pleas fill the room. I'm anxious, wanting to know their answer. I know it wasn't going to be easy.

"Let my brothers and I discuss for now and you shall hear our answer by tomorrow," Aro finally said. "For now, you may reside in the castle until then."

Emmett pulled me to his side and held me tightly. It was a start. They weren't saying no so this was a good start. Now, all we could do was wait.

We turned to leave but stopped short when we heard, "Isabella is a very talented girl. Don't take her for granted."

* * *

 **Bella**

Jacob and I met by chance when I was fourteen years old. I was supposed to be at home, helping my mother prepare for brunch. Our neighbors the Stanley's were coming to eat and I couldn't stand their daughter, Jessica. She was every parent's dream: a proper lady who wanted to get married and start a family. She had her eyes set on Michael Newton. He was the banker's son and as far as I was concerned, the biggest jerk in all of Forks.

I snuck out the back door and let my hair loose from the painful updo. I kicked off my shoes in the yard and just ran and ran as far as I could into the woods. My parents always warned me about the dangerous animals and the Native American tribe, the Quiliettes, that lived on the other side of the woods. Everyone told stories of how they were wild dangerous beasts that would steal young girls like me and take them for themselves.

I never believed them. They were just stories after all. I found their tribe's history fascinating. They were supposedly descended from wolves vowing to always protect their land. How could a beast be a protector? It made no sense to me.

Despite my proper upbringing, I preferred playing ball in the streets and climbing trees in the forest. I'd rip my dress and come home covered in mud much to mother's horror. She would try to rein me in with promises of fancy dresses and elaborate gifts but I didn't care about that stuff. I wanted to be free. I wanted to finish school like all of the guys and become a famous author like Emily Bronte. In my opinion, she proved that women could do anything and I wanted to be just like her.

I was so distracted that I didn't even notice the steep dropoff. All of a sudden, I slipped on the wet rock tumbling down the hill. I landed with a thud at the bottom, very disoriented.

I brushed myself off and tried to stand but the pain in my leg was too bad. I knew that I wouldn't make it back before brunch.

I don't know how long I was down there but just as I was starting to give up hope, I saw something from the corner of my eye.

A young boy about my age was staring at me, standing a few feet away. His hair was dark black and he was wearing a brown shirt and pants. His skin was tanned and eyes were a muddy brown. He stared at me and I stared back at him.

He was from the tribe. The awful tribe who preyed on innocent little girls like me. My parents were delusional.

"Help me." I called. "I fell and hurt my leg. I need to get home."

He came closer and knelt in front of me. He softly touched my leg and tried not to hurt me. He had looked about my age.

"I'm Bella." I said.

He looks at me with a clenched jaw. His hand rested on my leg and he looked away from me. I started to think that he wasn't going to respond but he quietly whispers, "Jacob. My name is Jacob, miss."

I smile at the memory, remembering how I thought that we were going to get married. We would have the perfect children and live the perfect life. That's when I started to think that maybe it wouldn't be an awful idea to settle down with a family.

"Well well well. Look who showed up."

I look up to see Jacob Black sardonically grinning at me, from the white house. I'm momentarily stunned that I was back. This is where I had some of the happiest and darkest moments of my life. He's standing on the porch with his muscles flexed. This wasn't the boy I had once loved. He was dead and gone forever.

"Have you decided to come back to your master?" he jumps over the railing and lands with a thud on the ground. He stalks over to me and bares his teeth. "It seems you've been a bad girl." he says, noticing I'm standing upright.

I didn't realize how incredibly stupid I was until I was standing in front of him. My legs tremble and I struggle not to drop to my knees. If I submit to him then the pain will be less. He won't be as angry.

Wait, that's a lie. He's furious.

"Would you like to join your vampire boyfriend? He's been great company for the last few months. I've enjoyed the sound of his screams." he sneers.

 _Stop. Stop. Stop._

"What was that?" he voice deepens. His hands clenched into fists and suddenly he's only a foot away.

 _Shit._ I must have talked out loud.

"Do-don't come any closer." my voice wavers.

"Looks like the bitch finally learned to speak." he spat. "I should've kept you muzzled."

I can feel the anger rising within me. My eyes turn dark and I look up at him, knowing that I wasn't going to let him treat me like this.

"Don't come any closer or I will hurt, Seth." I steadily say. "I will kill him."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he barked at me.

I step to the side, revealing Seth's broken body. I dragged him through the forest for the past three hours, following the scent of the wolves. His bones cracked all over again and he was definitely in more pain than before. I had grown tired of his cries so I knocked him unconscious and he has yet to wake up.

Jacob stares down at his once best friend. He was mangled and broken and if he didn't know any better, he would think that he was dead.

"You wouldn't kill him." he mutters. His dark eyes flash up to mine, daring me to challenge him.

"Give back Edward and I'll let him go." I say. "That is my deal."

My tongue slides over my razor-sharp teeth prepared to fight to the death if it comes to that. I learned that a vampire's bite was lethal to a shapeshifter. I could bite him right now and Jacob would be dead.

"You, missy, are in no place to be making demands. Did you honestly think that I'd just let a vampire waltz onto my land? Do you take your master for an idiot?" he grabs onto my arms and pulls me against his body. I'm too weak to pull away.

I'm stupid. So so stupid. It was a mistake to come and it was too late to turn back.

"Let me go." I whimper. "Please let me go and I'll never come back again."

My head hangs low, knowing that this was it. I wasn't going to let him take me again. I wouldn't go down without a fight.

His hand softly caresses my cheek. He was trying to lull me into a false sense of security. It's what he always did before he struck hard.

I suck up all the pride and dignity I have left and sink down to the dirt on my knees. I can feel his surprise and arrogance, thinking that he's broken me down.

"Are you going to obey your Master now?" he firmly asks. I nod my head, keeping my mouth shut.

He squats down and grabs a handful of my hair, yanking my head back. "Answer me out loud, bitch."

His face is screwed up into one of disgust. I open my mouth prepared to speak but instead lean towards his neck and bite down, releasing a stream of venom into his body.

If I was going to down then he was coming with me.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hey y'all! I know that it's been forever since I've updated! I am still working on the story but I've had a bit of writer's block but I'm back now and hope to update again very soon! I know that there are a lot of grammar mistakes in the previous chapters and to be honest, I was not the best writer when I first started this fanfic. I think that I've improved greatly and I hope all y'all think so too. I am planning to go back to the other chapters and fix everything. Thank y'all for your support and reviews!**

 **Enjoy!**


	23. Announcement!

**This is not an update! I am writing because I've been thinking long and hard about this decision and I've decided that I want to put this story up for adoption for someone else to complete. I know that I started this a couple of years ago and I put my heart and soul into this story but I've moved on. It's not the same for me anymore and I want to give you my best work and I simply don't think my best work is good enough for this story anymore. Thank you everyone that has reviewed and stuck through the story! I greatly appreciate it! If you'd like to continue the story, feel free to DM me and I'll reach back out to you. My only requirement is to mention that I'm the original author of this fanfic.**


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